Infectious Disease

Current research on Lyme disease detection, treatment, and residual effects is the topic of this short catch-up quiz.

How prevalent is use of antibiotics without a prescription? How effective is HCV treatment in people who inject drugs? See snapshots of these study results and 4 more.

The ideal test for Lyme disease needs to be direct and highly sensitive in specific areas of detection. A new review highlights the 5 key criteria.

The patient is 5-years-old without significant medical history. What is the differential diagnosis for a neck mass? What is your diagnosis?

How much do you know about the different HCV genotypes and how they impact treatment? Take our quick, 8-question quiz to find out. 

Antibiotic-resistant Neisseria gonorrhea is an international threat. Find out what you know about current first-line treatment in just a few minutes.

Parkinson disease may join the list of extrahepatic complications associated with HCV infection, according to a new study in JAMA Neurology.

Isoniazid resistance in TB may be prevented and even reversed by a small newly identified molecule called C10, according to a recent study.

Approximately two-thirds of persons infected with chronic hepatitis C virus experience nonliver manifestations of the disease. Do you know what to look for?

Two recent studies presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections highlight novel approaches to combat rising STI rates.

Sample: The hygiene hypothesis states that early exposure to germs reduces the immune system’s ability to resist infections in later years. True or false?

Two new studies from the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections highlight the issue of HCV reinfection in HIV+ MSM in Europe and the US. 

Opioids and infectious diseases, PrEP and STI risk, new oral Rx for C diff, and a shortage of ID specialists. We summarize studies, commentaries,  and reports on these topics and more.

Sexually transmitted infection cases have reached an all-time high at an alarming speed. Test your knowledge of different treatment options with our new case challenge. 

How do we combat waning human immunity? Our slide show summarizes 5 new reports that suggest it’s essential to figure that out.

More than one-third of those in recovery from drug/alcohol use have chronic physical disease. A novel study looks at prevalence of health issues by type of substance used.

The measles outbreak shows no signs of slowing. Are you prepared to answer vaccination questions from patients and parents? This 5-question quiz may help. 

Sample: A 36-year-old former IV drug user tests positive for chronic HCV and wants to know the likelihood of cure if she completes treatment. How should you counsel her?

A new study found that direct-acting antiviral treatment is linked to decreased risk of liver cancer, liver-related death, and all-cause mortality. 

Results of the largest study of its kind may help quell longstanding controversy surrounding the impact of DAA therapy on recurrence of HCC.

CDC guidance on hepatitis C screening is mandatory primary care reading. Test your recall with these 5 questions on CDC recommendations.

A new study models the impact of 4 key public health interventions on global HCV burden to see if WHO elimination targets are realistic.

A first-of-its-kind study found that among cirrhosis patients with and without HIV-coinfection, liver function improved >50% in each cohort.

William M. Lee, MD, of the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas discusses the way forward for primary care.

True or False: Hepatitis C belongs to the Fuselloviridae virus family. Answer and 4 more questions in the last Patient Care Hep C quiz for 2018.

What position do the world's organized religions take on vaccines and vaccination? Find out who's "Yay" and who's "Nay."

The renowned liver expert parses results of 3 studies presented at The Liver Meeting 2018 that could expand the role for DAA therapy in unexpected ways.

Find out: why HCV-infected hearts can be viable for non-infected recipients; why screening pregnant women for HCV is worth it; and, how even injection drug users can achieve SVR.

An HCV-infected patient who still injects drugs wants to start direct-acting antiviral therapy. What do guidelines recommend?

Even though hepatitis C cure rates are high, here are 4 issues that should still concern all healthcare providers.