Active clinical trials for "Communicable Diseases"

The purpose of this study is to examine the postprandial (anytime after a meal) effect of different dietary fats on endothelial function in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men.

The pharmacokinetics of caspofungin are expected to be different in ICU patients compared to non-ICU patients. The investigators will determine caspofungin concentrations in 20 ICU patients, who will get caspofungin as standard care. Full PK curves will be taken on day 3 and a limited PK curve on day 7, trough levels will be taken daily.

The purpose of this study is to assess the ability of lactulose, a prebiotic agent, to prevent hospital acquired infection in children

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of Zymar and Vigamox on ocular surface bacteria. We believe that Zymar will eradicate more ocular surface bacteria than Vigamox.

This study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Tuberculosis Research Centre in Chennai, India, will examine how helminth and filarial infections affect the immune response to mycobacteria (the bacteria that causes tuberculosis). Helminths are parasitic worms that infect the gut, and filaria are worms that circulate in the blood and infect various tissues. The findings of this study may affect how tuberculosis is assessed in Chennai, where filarial and helminth infections are common in the population. Patients between 6 and 65 years of age with helminth or filarial infections who do not have active tuberculosis, cancer, AIDS, or other immunosuppressive illness may be eligible for this study. Participants will be recruited from villages in the Chingleput District of Chennai, India. Participants will complete a medical history and physical examination. They will have a blood test to determine red blood cell count and to detect filarial infection, a stool examination to detect helminth infection, and a tuberculin skin test for tuberculosis. Patients with a positive tuberculin test will be treated for tuberculosis and any filarial or helminth infections that may have been detected. Patients whose tuberculin test is negative will be invited to participate in the second part of the study-to determine whether people with either filarial infections or helminth infections, or both, respond to tuberculosis bacteria in the same way as people who do not have these infections. Participants will undergo a review of their medical history, a physical examination, and a blood test to assess red blood cell levels and to look for evidence of filarial or helminth infection. They will then be randomly assigned to receive either albendazole and DEC (anti-helminth and anti-filarial drugs) or a placebo (look-alike tablets that do not contain an active ingredient). Two months later, patients will receive a second dose of the same tablets (placebo or active drug) they took previously, and after another 4 weeks they will be re-tested for tuberculosis. After 6 months (at the end of the study) all participants will receive anti-helminth and anti-filarial drugs and will have a repeat tuberculin skin test. Blood and stool samples will be collected twice in the 6-month period after the initial treatment to determine the levels of antibody against the parasites, to measure the level of infection with filaria, and to measure the level of red blood cells.

The purpose of this study is to determine the role of HIV-specific CD4 T cell responses and immune responses dependent upon these CD4 responses that develop when antiretroviral drugs are started during acute or recent HIV infection, whether these CD4 responses can be enhanced with a therapeutic HIV vaccine (HIV-1 immunogen), and what pattern of HIV-specific immune responses is associated with control of HIV upon discontinuation of antiretroviral drugs during an analytical therapeutic interruption. Participants will be treatment-naive adults with acute or early HIV infection who will choose to start or not start anti-HIV drugs at the beginning of the study. NOTE: In August 2007 we were notified by the manufacturer of the candidate vaccine that they were no longer making the vaccine, and that the vaccine would no longer be available. Unfortunately too few participants have received either the vaccine or placebo to conclude anything about efficacy. No safety problems occurred.

The proposed protocol aims to characterize the infectious episodes in pancreas transplant recipients under the current medical care. Knowing these patients infectious risks, the types of infections that commonly affect them and the morbidity and mortality associated with it will provide valuable information in the evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the current practices. The information generated by this study will also serve as the basis for development of strategies targeting prophylaxis of infectious episodes.

Some people who are exposed to the HIV-1 virus are capable of either controlling or completely preventing viral infection. Multiple genetic factors may contribute to preventing or controlling HIV-1 infection. The purpose of this study is to analyze the immune system responses of individuals who are exposed to HIV-1 but remain uninfected.

The primary objective is to study the efficacy of piperacillin/tazobactam in patients with complicated urinary tract infections

The purpose of this study is to characterize the quality of life (QOL) and longitudinal patterns of change in QOL outcomes in children and youth with HIV infection; to identify demographic, social, disease status, treatment, and health care utilization factors that predict longitudinal changes in outcomes; to develop a conceptual model that characterizes the effects of specific factors that predict longitudinal changes in QOL; and to characterize the influence of HIV symptoms on QOL outcomes in the domains of health perceptions, physical, psychological, and social role functioning.