Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Common Cold (common + cold)
Selected AbstractsCross-Cultural Perspectives on Physician and Lay Models of the Common ColdMEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2008Roberta D. Baer We compare physicians and laypeople within and across cultures, focusing on simi-larities and differences across samples, to determine whether cultural differences or lay,professional differences have a greater effect on explanatory models of the common cold. Data on explanatory models for the common cold were collected from physicians and laypeople in South Texas and Guadalajara, Mexico. Structured interview materials were developed on the basis of open-ended interviews with samples of lay informants at each locale. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information from each sample on causes, symptoms, and treatments for the common cold. Consensus analysis was used to estimate the cultural beliefs for each sample. Instead of systematic differences between samples based on nationality or level of professional training, all four samples largely shared a single-explanatory model of the common cold, with some differences on subthemes, such as the role of hot and cold forces in the etiology of the common cold. An evaluation of our findings indicates that, although there has been conjecture about whether cultural or lay,professional differences are of greater importance in understanding variation in explanatory models of disease and illness, systematic data collected on community and professional beliefs indicate that such differences may be a function of the specific illness. Further generalizations about lay,professional differences need to be based on detailed data for a variety of illnesses, to discern patterns that may be present. Finally, a systematic approach indicates that agreement across individual explanatory models is sufficient to allow for a community-level explanatory model of the common cold. [source] Efficacy and safety of over-the-counter analgesics in the treatment of common cold and fluJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 4 2006R. Eccles BSc PhD DSc Summary Rationale:, Common cold and flu are the most common human illnesses, and over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics are widely used to treat the pain and fever symptoms. Despite the every day use of these analgesic there is little information available in the literature on the efficacy and safety of these medicines in treating colds and flu symptoms. The aim of this review was to determine the safety and efficacy of the analgesics, aspirin, paracetamol and aspirin for the treatment of colds and flu. Methods:, Electronic databases and a personal database were searched and the information retrieved together with information from relevant textbooks has been integrated in the review. Results:, The literature search established that there is relatively little information on the use of analgesics in treating colds and flu and that much of the safety and efficacy data must be related to other pain and fever models. The review establishes that aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen are safe in OTC doses and that there is no evidence for any difference between the medicines as regards efficacy and safety for treatment of colds and flu (except in certain cases such as the use of aspirin in feverish children). There is also no evidence that these medicines prolong the course of colds and flu by any effect on the immune system or by reducing fever. Conclusion:, Despite the lack of clinical data on the safety and efficacy of analgesics for the treatment of colds and flu symptoms a case can be made that these medicines are safe and effective for treatment of these common illnesses. [source] Capillary electrophoresis of affinity complexes between subviral 80S particles of human rhinovirus and monoclonal antibody 2G2ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 13 2006Leopold Kremser Dr. Abstract Human rhinoviruses (HRVs), the main etiologic agents of the common cold, transform into subviral B- or 80S particles (they sediment at 80S upon sucrose density gradient centrifugation) during infection and, in,vitro, upon exposure to a temperature between 50 and 56°C. With respect to the native virion they lack the genomic RNA and the viral capsid protein VP4. 80S particles are unstable and easily disintegrate into their components, VP1, VP2, and VP3 in buffers containing SDS. However, this detergent was found to be a necessary constituent of the BGE for the analysis of these viruses and their complexes with receptors and antibodies by CE. We here demonstrate that dodecylpoly(ethyleneglycol ether) (D-PEG) a nonionic detergent, is suitable for analysis of subviral particles as it preserves their integrity, in contrast to SDS. Electrophoresis of the 80S particles in borate buffer (pH,8.3, 100,mM) containing 10,mM D-PEG resulted in a well-defined electrophoretic peak. The identity of the peak was confirmed, among other means, by complexation with mAb,2G2, which recognizes a structural epitope exclusively present on subviral particles but not on native virus. Upon incubation of the 80S particles with mAb,2G2 the peak disappeared, but a new peak, attributed to the antibody complex emerged. The separation system allowed following the time course of the transformation of intact HRV serotype,2 into 80S particles upon incubation at temperatures between 40 and 65°C. We also demonstrate that subviral particles derived from HRV2 labeled with the fluorescence dyes FITC or Cy3.5 were stable in the separation system containing D-PEG. Dye-modified particles were still recognized by mAb,2G2, suggesting that the exposed lysines that are derivatized by the reagent do not form part of the epitope of the antibody. [source] Surveillance of vivax malaria vectors and civilian patients for malaria high-risk areas in northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon Provinces near the demilitarized zone, Republic of Korea, 2003,2006ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2010Jae Chul SHIM Abstract After re-emergence of malaria in 1993, a continued increase in Plasmodium vivax cases was observed from 1993 to 2006 in northern Gyeonggi and Gangwon Provinces adjacent to the demilitarized zone separating North from South Korea. Annual parasite incidence per 1000 people ranged from 0.33 in 2004 to 0.89 in 2006. While malaria case rates declined (22.6%) in 2004, they increased 75.1% in 2005 and 51.7% in 2006 from the previous years. An initial incorrect diagnosis of 46.8% of malaria cases as common cold resulted in a mean delay of 1.3 days for the detection malarial parasites. Of the total cases, 10.2% from December to May were due to latent intrinsic incubation infections acquired the previous malaria season and the rest of the cases from June to November were either latent or short incubation infections. Overall, the peak anopheline population occurred from July to September, resulting in a similar peak in malaria cases. While malaria cases increased during 2005,2006, anopheline populations, based on trap indices, were not significantly different during 4 years of surveillance. To decrease the malaria patient infective period to mosquitoes, public health centers in Paju and Cheorwon in 2006 prescribed chloroquine + primaquine at days 0,3 after initial malaria diagnosis followed by an additional 11 days of primaquine (early primaquine treatment), rather than chloroquine on days 0,3 and primaquine on days 4,17 (delayed primaquine treatment). A reduction in the malaria parasite incidence during 2007 was recorded for the two locations offering the early primaquine treatment relative to other locations using the delayed primaquine treatment. [source] Rhinovirus increases human ,-defensin-2 and -3 mRNA expression in cultured bronchial epithelial cellsFEMS IMMUNOLOGY & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Louise A Duits Abstract Human ,-defensins (hBDs) are antimicrobial peptides that play important roles in host defense against infection, inflammation and immunity. Previous studies showed that micro-organisms and proinflammatory mediators regulate the expression of these peptides in airway epithelial cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the modulation of expression of hBDs in cultured primary bronchial epithelial cells (PBEC) by rhinovirus-16 (RV16), a respiratory virus responsible for the common cold and associated with asthma exacerbations. RV16 was found to induce expression of hBD-2 and -3 mRNA in PBEC, but did not affect hBD-1 mRNA. Viral replication appeared essential for rhinovirus-induced ,-defensin mRNA expression, since UV-inactivated rhinovirus did not increase expression of hBD-2 and hBD-3 mRNA. Exposure to synthetic double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecule polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid had a similar effect as RV16 on mRNA expression of these peptides in PBEC. In line with this, PBEC were found to express TLR3, a Toll-like receptor involved in recognition of dsRNA. This study shows that rhinovirus infection of PBEC leads to increased hBD-2 and hBD-3 mRNA expression, which may play a role in both the uncomplicated common cold and in virus-associated exacerbations of asthma. [source] Zinc nasal gel may shorten duration and reduce severity of the common coldFOCUS ON ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH, Issue 2 2003Article first published online: 14 JUN 2010 [source] Oral and pharyngeal cancer: Analysis of patient delay at different tumor stagesHEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 11 2005Xavier D. R. Brouha MD Abstract Background. The aim of this study was to examine which factors are related to patient delay in a cohort of consecutive patients with pharyngeal cancer and oral cancer and to determine whether the different stages of patient delay (ie, appraisal, illness, behavioral, and scheduling) were related to different tumor stages. Methods. Before treatment, 55 patients with pharyngeal cancer and 134 patients with oral cancer were interviewed about their prediagnostic period. To verify the data, a questionnaire was sent to the general practitioner and/or dentist and a close relative. Results. Patients with a delay of more than 30 days were significantly more often diagnosed with late-stage (T3,T4) disease (pharynx, p = .01, odds ratio [OR] = 4.5; oral, p = .01, OR = 3.2). No sociodemographic characteristics were associated with patient delay. Conclusions. Prolonged patient delay was associated with late-stage disease for both patients with pharyngeal cancer and patients with oral cancer. Although for most patients the symptoms are vague or might look like a common cold or infection, the general public should be better informed about tumor symptoms. This may enhance earlier visits to a health care professional. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck27: XXX,XXX, 2005 [source] Efficacy and safety of over-the-counter analgesics in the treatment of common cold and fluJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 4 2006R. Eccles BSc PhD DSc Summary Rationale:, Common cold and flu are the most common human illnesses, and over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics are widely used to treat the pain and fever symptoms. Despite the every day use of these analgesic there is little information available in the literature on the efficacy and safety of these medicines in treating colds and flu symptoms. The aim of this review was to determine the safety and efficacy of the analgesics, aspirin, paracetamol and aspirin for the treatment of colds and flu. Methods:, Electronic databases and a personal database were searched and the information retrieved together with information from relevant textbooks has been integrated in the review. Results:, The literature search established that there is relatively little information on the use of analgesics in treating colds and flu and that much of the safety and efficacy data must be related to other pain and fever models. The review establishes that aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen are safe in OTC doses and that there is no evidence for any difference between the medicines as regards efficacy and safety for treatment of colds and flu (except in certain cases such as the use of aspirin in feverish children). There is also no evidence that these medicines prolong the course of colds and flu by any effect on the immune system or by reducing fever. Conclusion:, Despite the lack of clinical data on the safety and efficacy of analgesics for the treatment of colds and flu symptoms a case can be made that these medicines are safe and effective for treatment of these common illnesses. [source] Efficacy of a standardized echinacea preparation (EchinilinTM) for the treatment of the common cold: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trialJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 1 2004V. Goel PhD Summary Background:, Recently, echinacea has regained popularity as one of the treatments chosen most commonly by consumers with the expectation that it will reduce the severity and duration of the common cold. However, the results from a limited number of clinical trials for this application have thus far been inconclusive. This incongruity may be the result of investigators utilizing poorly standardized echinacea products, likely devoid of sufficient quantities of active constituents necessary to exert a definitive clinical effect. Therefore, a formulation containing alkamides, cichoric acid, and polysaccharides at concentrations of 0·25, 2·5, and 25 mg/mL, respectively, was prepared from freshly harvested Echinacea purpurea plants (commercially available as Echinilin, Natural Factors Nutritional Products, Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada). The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of this highly standardized formulation in reducing the severity and duration of symptoms of a naturally acquired common cold. Methods:, In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 282 subjects aged 18,65 years with a history of two or more colds in the previous year, but otherwise in good health, were recruited. The subjects were randomized to receive either echinacea or placebo. They were instructed to start the echinacea or placebo at the onset of the first symptom related to a cold, consuming 10 doses the first day and four doses per day on subsequent days for 7 days. Severity of symptoms (10-point scale: 0, minimum; 9, maximum) and dosing were recorded daily. A nurse examined the subjects on the mornings of days 3 and 8 of their cold. Results:, A total of 128 subjects contracted a common cold (59 echinacea, 69 placebo). The total daily symptom scores were found to be 23·1% lower in the echinacea group than in placebo in those who followed all elements of the study protocol (P < 0·01). Throughout the treatment period, the response rate to treatments was greater in the echinacea group. A few adverse event profiles were observed in both groups. Conclusions:, Early intervention with a standardized formulation of echinacea resulted in reduced symptom severity in subjects with naturally acquired upper respiratory tract infection. Further studies with larger patient populations appear to be warranted. [source] Stream Temperature Surges Under Urbanization and Climate Change: Data, Models, and Responses,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 2 2007Kären C. Nelson ABSTRACT: Multiple anthropogenic stressors, including increased watershed imperviousness, destruction of the riparian vegetation, increased siltation, and changes in climate, will impact streams over the coming century. These stressors will alter water temperature, thus influencing ecological processes and stream biota. Quantitative tools are needed to predict the magnitude and direction of altered thermal regimes. Here, empirical relationships were derived to complement a simple model of in-stream temperature [developed by Caissie et al. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering25 (1998) 250; Journal of Hydrology251 (2001) 14], including seasonal temperature shifts linked to land use, and temperature surges linked to localized rainstorms; surges in temperature averaged about 3.5°C and dissipated over about 3 h. These temperature surges occurred frequently at the most urbanized sites (up to 10% of summer days) and could briefly increase maximum temperature by >7°C. The combination of empirical relationships and model show that headwater streams may be more pervasively impacted by urbanization than by climate change, although the two stressors reinforce each other. A profound community shift, from common cold and coolwater species to some of the many warmwater species currently present in smaller numbers, may be expected, as shown by a count of days on which temperature exceeds the "good growth" range for coldwater species. [source] Allergic rhinitis and the common cold , high cost to societyALLERGY, Issue 6 2010J. Hellgren To cite this article: Hellgren J, Cervin A, Nordling S, Bergman A, Cardell LO. Allergic rhinitis and the common cold , high cost to society. Allergy 2010; 65: 776,783. Abstract Background:, The common cold and allergic rhinitis constitute a global health problem that affects social life, sleep, school and work performance and is likely to impose a substantial economic burden on society because of absence from work and reduced working capacity. This study assesses the loss of productivity as a result of both allergic rhinitis and the common cold in the Swedish working population. Methods:, Four thousand questionnaires were sent to a randomized adult population, aged 18,65 years, in Sweden, stratified by gender and area of residence (metropolitan area vs rest of the country). The human capital approach was used to assign monetary value to lost productivity in terms of absenteeism (absence from work), presenteeism (reduced working capacity while at work) and caregiver absenteeism (absence from work to take care of a sick child). Results:, Thousand two hundred and thirteen individuals responded, response rate 32%. The mean productivity loss was estimated at 5.1 days or , 653 per worker and year, yielding a total productivity loss in Sweden of , 2.7 billion a year. Of the total costs, absenteeism (44%) was the dominant factor, followed by presenteeism (37%) and caregiver absenteeism (19%). Poisson regression analyses revealed that women, people in the 18,29 year age group, and respondents with ,doctor-diagnosed asthma' reported more lost days than the rest of the group. Conclusion:, In Sweden, the cost of rhinitis is , 2.7 billion a year in terms of lost productivity. A reduction in lost productivity of 1 day per individual and year would potentially save , 528 million. [source] Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Physician and Lay Models of the Common ColdMEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2008Roberta D. Baer We compare physicians and laypeople within and across cultures, focusing on simi-larities and differences across samples, to determine whether cultural differences or lay,professional differences have a greater effect on explanatory models of the common cold. Data on explanatory models for the common cold were collected from physicians and laypeople in South Texas and Guadalajara, Mexico. Structured interview materials were developed on the basis of open-ended interviews with samples of lay informants at each locale. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information from each sample on causes, symptoms, and treatments for the common cold. Consensus analysis was used to estimate the cultural beliefs for each sample. Instead of systematic differences between samples based on nationality or level of professional training, all four samples largely shared a single-explanatory model of the common cold, with some differences on subthemes, such as the role of hot and cold forces in the etiology of the common cold. An evaluation of our findings indicates that, although there has been conjecture about whether cultural or lay,professional differences are of greater importance in understanding variation in explanatory models of disease and illness, systematic data collected on community and professional beliefs indicate that such differences may be a function of the specific illness. Further generalizations about lay,professional differences need to be based on detailed data for a variety of illnesses, to discern patterns that may be present. Finally, a systematic approach indicates that agreement across individual explanatory models is sufficient to allow for a community-level explanatory model of the common cold. [source] Ebastine in allergic rhinitis and chronic idiopathic urticariaALLERGY, Issue 2008J. Sastre Histamine is a key mediator in the development of allergy symptoms, and oral H1 -antihistamines are among the most widely used treatments for symptomatic relief in conditions such as allergic rhinitis and chronic urticaria. Ebastine is a second-generation antihistamine which has been shown to be an effective treatment for both seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis. In controlled clinical trials in adult and adolescent patients with allergic rhinitis, ebastine 10 mg once-daily improved symptoms to a significantly greater extent than placebo and to a similar extent as loratadine 10 mg and cetirizine 10 mg (both once-daily), while ebastine 20 mg proved to be more effective than these two comparator antihistamines. In addition, ebastine was significantly more effective than placebo at relieving the symptoms of chronic idiopathic urticaria. Ebastine provides efficacy throughout the 24-h dosing interval with once-daily administration and clinical benefit is seen from the first day of treatment. Small studies have found beneficial effects for ebastine in patients with other disorders, including cold urticaria, dermographic urticaria, atopic asthma, mosquito bites and (in combination with pseudoephedrine) the common cold. In addition to the regular ebastine tablet, a fast-dissolving tablet (FDT) formulation, which disintegrates in the mouth without the aid of a drink, is also available. It has been shown to be bioequivalent to the regular tablet, and to be significantly more effective than desloratadine at reducing histamine-induced cutaneous wheals. A number of patient surveys demonstrated that the majority of individuals who tried the fast-dissolving formulation reported it to be convenient for use, fast-acting and preferred it to their previous antihistamine medication. Perhaps most importantly, a large proportion of patients indicated that they would prefer to use this new formulation in the future. Ebastine has a rapid onset of action and it can be administered once-daily, with or without food. Dose modifications are not needed in elderly patients, or in those with renal or mild to moderate hepatic impairment. Ebastine is generally well-tolerated, and clinical studies showed that at usual therapeutic doses of 10 and 20 mg once-daily, it had no clinically relevant adverse effects on cognitive function and psychomotor performance or on cardiovascular function. In conclusion, ebastine is an effective and generally well-tolerated treatment for allergic rhinitis and chronic idiopathic urticaria. In addition to the regular tablet formulation, ebastine is available as a FDT, providing a treatment option that is particularly convenient for patients. [source] Probiotics and health: a review of the evidenceNUTRITION BULLETIN, Issue 4 2009E. Weichselbaum Summary Probiotics are live microorganisms , mainly bacteria , which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. There is rising interest in this area, but reports in the media are often conflicting. The aim of this review is to consider the current evidence on the effects of probiotics on health, focusing on gut-related health issues and the immune system, with the objective to provide a clearer picture of whether and how probiotics can be beneficial for health. The outcomes of this review are based on more than 100 original studies, meta-analyses and systematic reviews. A variety of different strains have been used in studies on probiotics, and it is important to remember that the effectiveness of probiotics is strain-specific, which means that each single probiotic strain has to be tested to assess its potential health benefits. Overall, despite the diversity of strains used in the studies included in this review, there is evidence that probiotics have the potential to be beneficial for our health. Studies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease show probiotic strains to be able to decrease the recurrence of ulcerative colitis and occurrence and recurrence of pouchitis, however, current evidence suggests that probiotics are ineffective in treating patients with Crohn's disease. Patients with irritable bowel syndrome show a reduction in symptoms when treated with selected probiotic strains, but high placebo effects have been reported as well. The evidence of the efficacy of probiotics in patients suffering from constipation is limited, but the evidence seems promising for some strains to bring relief to patients suffering from constipation. There is good evidence that a number of probiotic strains are effective in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. The most commonly studied strains are Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Saccharomyces boulardii, but other strains and mixtures of strains seem to be effective as well. There is also promising evidence of a preventive effect of probiotics in Clostridium difficile -associated diarrhoea, although some studies have been too small to obtain statistically significant findings. The effect of probiotics in acute diarrhoea, particularly in children, is well studied. Selected probiotic strains seem to be effective in reducing the duration of acute diarrhoea. LGG and S. boulardii are again the most commonly used strains and a number of studies have shown them to be effective, although one meta-analysis showed that the effect of LGG was only significant in children in Western countries, not in children in developing countries, which may be due to different causes of diarrhoea in these regions. Studies investigating the preventive effect of probiotics in the context of common cold and flu infections show that the studied strains failed to lower the incidence of episodes but that they have the potential to decrease the duration of episodes, which suggests that the immune system may be more efficient in fighting off common cold and flu infections after consuming these strains. The evidence so far does not suggest that probiotics are effective in preventing or treating allergies or in treating eczema. However, some probiotic strains seem to lower the risk of developing eczema if taken by pregnant women and their infants in early life. [source] Leiomyosarcoma of the pulmonary veinPATHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 10 2000Tomoko Okuno A case of a 74-year-old man with leiomyosarcoma of the pulmonary vein is reported. The patient felt transient chest oppression while playing golf 1 week before he visited a clinic with a common cold. He underwent an ultrasonographic examination of the heart, which showed a mass lesion in the left atrium. The preoperative clinical diagnosis was myxoma of the left atrium. Cardiac surgery revealed the mass to be a leiomyosarcoma, probably extending from the left inferior pulmonary vein. The patient underwent a left lower lobectomy of the lung, and the tumor was confirmed to have originated from the wall of the left inferior pulmonary vein. Although the patient had a metastatic lesion in the right axillary lymph node 11 months later, which was excised, he remained free of disease 14 months after the initial operation. Histologically, the tumors were composed of pleomorphic cells with bizarre nuclei and spindle cells with blunt-ended nuclei with 1,4 mitotic figures in 10 high power fields. Immunohistologically, the tumor cells were positive for , -smooth muscle actin and desmin. We reviewed 17 cases of leiomyosarcoma of the pulmonary vein (six males and 11 females with a mean age of 50 years in each group). The present case was the oldest in age and to our knowledge was the first reported case with metastasis in a distant lymph node. [source] Timing of infection and development of wheeze, eczema, and atopic sensitization during the first 2 yr of life: The KOALA Birth Cohort StudyPEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 6 2010Monique Mommers Mommers M, Thijs C, Stelma F, Penders J, Reimerink J, van Ree R, Koopmans M. Timing of infection and development of wheeze, eczema, and atopic sensitization during the first 2 yr of life: The KOALA Birth Cohort Study. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2010: 21: 983,989. © 2010 The John Wiley & Sons A/S To investigate if infections in pregnancy and very early in life present a risk for wheezing, eczema, or atopic sensitization in later infancy. A total of 2319 children enrolled before birth in the KOALA Birth Cohort Study were followed during their first 2 yr of life using repeated questionnaires. Information was obtained on common colds, fever, and diarrhea with fever as well as on wheeze and eczema at ages 3 and 7 months and 1 and 2 yr, respectively. Blood samples were collected from 786 children at age 2 yr for specific immunoglobulin E analyses. Children with a common cold [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.03 95% CI 1.21,3.41] or fever episode (aOR 1.81 95% CI 1.10,2.96) in the first 3 months of life had a higher risk of new onset wheeze in the second year of life compared to children who had not. For children with diarrhea with fever in the first 3 months of life, the aOR for new onset wheeze in the second year of life was 3.94 (95% CI 1.36,11.40) compared to children without diarrhea. Infections becoming clinically manifest during the first 3 months of life may be a general marker for a wheezy phenotype. [source] New insights into pediatric rhinosinusitisPEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 2007N. Principi Rhinosinusitis is a common children's disease. Most cases are acute, follow an episode of common cold, and are the consequence of a superimposed bacterial infection. If mild, they are characterized by the persistence of signs and symptoms of upper respiratory tract disease for more than 10 days; if severe, they involve fever and a purulent nasal discharge, and can cause a substantial decline in general health. Recurrent acute or chronic cases are usually diagnosed in children with predisposing factors, such as recurrent respiratory tract infections, allergic rhinitis, cystic fibrosis, immunodeficiency, ciliary dyskinesia, anatomic abnormalities or reflux. Therapy is based on antibiotics, administered orally in mild, and intravenously in severe cases. On the basis of recently highlighted antibiotic resistances and the possibility of spontaneous resolution, experts agree in considering amoxicillin the drug of choice for mild cases, and an antibiotic capable of overcoming all possible resistance for severe cases. [source] Antiviral triterpenoids from the medicinal plant Schefflera heptaphyllaPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 5 2007Yaolan Li Abstract Schefflera heptaphylla (L.) Frodin is a principal ingredient of an herbal tea formulation widely used for the treatment of common cold in southern China. An extract of the long leafstalk of the compound leaf of S. heptaphylla exhibited the most potent antiviral activity against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Further antiviral-guided fractionation and isolation of the leafstalk extract of S. heptaphylla led to obtain two highly active pure triterpenoids, namely 3, -hydroxylup-20(29)-ene-23,28-dioic acid and 3- epi -betulinic acid 3- O -sulfate, together with an inactive saponin, 3, -hydroxylup-20(29)-ene-23,28-dioic acid 28- O - , - l -rhamnopyranosyl-(1,4)- O - , - d -glucopyranosyl-(1,6)- , - d -glucopyranoside. An antiviral assay using a cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction method showed that the two triterpenoids possessed broader antiviral activity against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) with a similar 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) value of 6.25 µg/mL, influenza A (H1N1) virus with IC50 values of 25 and 31.3 µg/mL, Coxsackie B3 (Cox B3) virus with IC50 values of 12.5 and 20 µg/mL and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) with IC50 values of 18.8 and 25 µg/mL, respectively, whereas the saponin did not have antiviral activity against these four viruses at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Erythromycin attenuates MUC5AC synthesis and secretion in cultured human tracheal cells infected with RV14RESPIROLOGY, Issue 2 2008Daisuke INOUE Background and objective: The common cold is a major cause of asthma exacerbation and chronic obstructive lung disease. Rhinovirus is reported to be responsible for more than 50% of cases of the common cold. In a previous study, we reported that rhinovirus infection of cultured airway cells induced MUC5AC mucin overproduction and hypersecretion by activating the p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p44/42 MAPK) pathway. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of erythromycin on RV14-induced airway mucin overproduction and hypersecretion. Methods: RV14-infected human tracheal epithelial cells were treated with erythromycin. Results: Erythromycin blocked RV14-induced MUC5AC protein overproduction and hypersecretion, and also blocked RV14-induced p44/42 MAPK activation in the cells. Conclusions: Erythromycin may attenuate RV14-induced MUC5AC overproduction and hypersecretion by blocking the p44/42 MAPK pathway or its upstream regulators. [source] Selective human enterovirus and rhinovirus inhibitors: An overview of capsid-binding and protease-inhibiting moleculesMEDICINAL RESEARCH REVIEWS, Issue 4 2004Shin-Ru Shih Abstract The absence of effective vaccines for most viral infections highlights an urgent necessity for the design and development of effective antiviral drugs. Due to the advancement in virology since the late 1980s, several key events in the viral life cycle have been well delineated and a number of molecular targets have been validated, culminating in the emergence of many new antiviral drugs in recent years. Inhibitors against enteroviruses and rhinoviruses, responsible for about half of the human common colds, are currently under active investigation. Agents targeted at either viral protein 1 (VP1), a relatively conserved capsid structure mediating viral adsorption/uncoating process, or 3C protease, which is highly conserved among different serotypes and essential for viral replication, are of great potential to become antipicornavirus drugs. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 24, No. 4, 449,474, 2004 [source] Timing of infection and development of wheeze, eczema, and atopic sensitization during the first 2 yr of life: The KOALA Birth Cohort StudyPEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 6 2010Monique Mommers Mommers M, Thijs C, Stelma F, Penders J, Reimerink J, van Ree R, Koopmans M. Timing of infection and development of wheeze, eczema, and atopic sensitization during the first 2 yr of life: The KOALA Birth Cohort Study. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2010: 21: 983,989. © 2010 The John Wiley & Sons A/S To investigate if infections in pregnancy and very early in life present a risk for wheezing, eczema, or atopic sensitization in later infancy. A total of 2319 children enrolled before birth in the KOALA Birth Cohort Study were followed during their first 2 yr of life using repeated questionnaires. Information was obtained on common colds, fever, and diarrhea with fever as well as on wheeze and eczema at ages 3 and 7 months and 1 and 2 yr, respectively. Blood samples were collected from 786 children at age 2 yr for specific immunoglobulin E analyses. Children with a common cold [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.03 95% CI 1.21,3.41] or fever episode (aOR 1.81 95% CI 1.10,2.96) in the first 3 months of life had a higher risk of new onset wheeze in the second year of life compared to children who had not. For children with diarrhea with fever in the first 3 months of life, the aOR for new onset wheeze in the second year of life was 3.94 (95% CI 1.36,11.40) compared to children without diarrhea. Infections becoming clinically manifest during the first 3 months of life may be a general marker for a wheezy phenotype. [source] Soluble CD14 at 2 yr of age: Gender-related effects of tobacco smoke exposure, recurrent infections and atopic diseasesPEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 4 2006K. C. Lødrup Carlsen The endotoxin receptor soluble CD14 (sCD14) has been implicated in the ,hygiene hypothesis' suggesting reduced allergic sensitization with bacterial stimulation. However, the relationship between early life sCD14 and allergic diseases is conflicting. We aimed to investigate whether possible risk factors for allergic diseases were associated with sCD14 levels at 2 yr of age. In the nested case,control study of the birth cohort studies ,Environment and Childhood Asthma study in Oslo' 411 children selected with recurrent bronchial obstruction (rBO) (n = 241) and no bronchial obstruction (n = 170) by 2 yr were investigated with skin prick test and structured parental interview at age 2 yr. Exposure to tobacco smoke, pets and infections was recorded semi-annually by questionnaires (0,2 yr). The sCD14 was analysed from frozen, stored serum by ELISA technique. Regression analyses were performed in all subjects with complete data (n = 406, 180 girls), and in girls and in boys separately. Mean sCD14 (ng/ml) was significantly higher among girls 2035 (1973,2096) vs. 1947 (1890,2004) (boys). The sCD14 was significantly reduced among girls exposed to antenatal maternal smoking and with parental asthma, after adjusting for age, parental rhino-conjunctivitis, pet keeping and childhood infections. Recurrent otitis media (OM) increased and common colds significantly decreased sCD14 levels in girls. Boys with atopic dermatitis and rBO had reduced sCD14. Pet exposure was not significantly associated with sCD14. We report novel gender-related effects of sCD14 in early life and suggest that gender, tobacco smoke exposure, age and middle ear disease in particular should be accounted for when assessing the role of sCD14 in childhood allergic diseases. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||