A tale of two mutants

Article Abstract:

Drug resistant strains of diseases develop in the course of antimicrobial therapy as drug-resistant mutants spontaneously arise and remain capable of spreading disease and of being transmitted. This phenomenon is not new. Resistance to the drug zidovudine is known to develop in some HIV patients within months after treatment is initiated. In a recent case of primary infection with a drug-resistant strain however, a man had sexual contact with an HIV-positive man who had been taking zidovudine and became infected with a strain of HIV already resistant to zidovudine. To combat drug resistance, patients may be treated with several drugs, as with tuberculosis. However, outbreaks of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis are increasing, and in New York City, 19% of tuberculosis strains isolated are multidrug-resistant. A recent study highlighted another difficulty in treating patients with tuberculosis. Patients who are immunocompromised, such as AIDS patients, may become reinfected, even after successful treatment of the original tuberculosis infection.

Health aspects, HIV (Viruses), HIV, Genetic aspects, Tuberculosis, Drug resistance in microorganisms, Microbial drug resistance

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The weak child -- a cautionary tale

Article Abstract:

Tick paralysis should be considered in any child who becomes weak very quickly. In a 1999 case study, a 6-year-old girl who rapidly became very weak was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome until a resident found a tick on her scalp. When the tick was removed, she recovered within 24 hours. The tick was Dermacentor variabilis, the common dog tick. This tick and others can produce a toxin that affects the nervous system. The nature of the toxin and how it causes paralysis are still a mystery.

Analysis, Tick paralysis

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Enteritis necroticans (pigbel) in a diabetic child

Article Abstract:

Researchers describe a case of enteritis necroticans in a 12-year-old boy who lived in Atlanta, Georgia. This intestinal disease is caused by an organism called Clostridium perfringens and is very rare in the US. The boy had eaten chitterlings, which are pig intestines. He had a history of diabetes. Samples of his intestinal tissue tested positive for Clostridium perfringens.

Case studies, Clostridium infections, Enteritis

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