Konduri V, Decker WK, Halpert MM, Gilbert B, Safdar A. J Infect Dis. 2013 Jun 1;207(11):1764-72. BACKGROUND: Cancer patients can exhibit negligible responses to prophylactic vaccinations, including influenza vaccination. To help address this issue, we developed in vitro and in vivo models of dendritic cell (DC) immunotherapy for the prevention of influenza virus infection. METHODS: […]
Safdar A. Clin Infect Dis. 2013 Jul;57(1):94-100. Response to systemic antifungal therapy alone remains disproportionately less satisfactory in immunosuppressed transplant and oncology patients. As insight in fungal immunopathogenesis forges ahead, interventions for boosting immune functions along with antimicrobial drugs has shown promise in preclinical experiments. The clinical experience with immunotherapy for invasive mold disease is […]
Safdar A, Rodriguez GH. Pharmacotherapy. 2013 Oct;33(10):1035-43. STUDY OBJECTIVE: Aerosolized amphotericin B lipid complex (aeABLC) has been successfully used to prevent fungal disease. Experience with aeABLC as treatment of fungal lung disease is limited. DESIGN: We evaluated the safety and efficacy of aeABLC adjunct therapy for fungal lung disease in a retrospective study of 32 […]
Clutter DS, Dubrovskaya Y, Merl MY, Teperman L, Press R, Safdar A. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013 Sep;57(9):4501-5. The feasibility of fidaxomicin versus vancomycin and metronidazole (conventional therapy) was assessed in 59 transplant recipients with 61 episodes of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD). Overall clinical cure was achieved in 86% of episodes, and in 7% of episodes, […]
Safdar A(1), Rodriguez G, Zuniga J, Al Akhrass F, Pande A. Acta Haematol. 2014;131(1):50-8. BACKGROUND/AIMS: Despite limited evidence for efficacy, granulocyte transfusions (GTX) are used to prevent and treat opportunistic infections in patients with neutropenia. METHODS: Three hundred and seventy-three GTX given to 74 patients were assessed retrospectively. RESULTS: GTX were discontinued because of clinical […]
Rodriguez GH, Safdar A. Scand J Infect Dis. 2014 Jan;46(1):52-7. Abstract The T-SPOT.TB test (TS.TB), an interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assay (IGRA), is superior in diagnosing latent tuberculosis infection compared with the conventional tuberculin skin test (TST). However, whether cytotoxic chemotherapy and treatment with new-generation antineoplastic monoclonal antibodies affects the TS.TB is not certain. We evaluated […]
Safdar A, Rodriguez G, Zuniga J, Al Akhrass F, Pande A. J Pharm Pract. 2015 Apr;28(2):175-82. The antifungal activity of echinocandins is concentration dependent. Previously, we demonstrated that high-dose caspofungin (HD-CSP; 100 mg daily) was well tolerated in 34 immunosuppressed patients with cancer and may have favorably influenced outcomes. We retrospectively assessed all 91 patients […]
Penziner S1, Dubrovskaya Y1, Press R1, Safdar A2. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2015 Mar;59(3):1776-81. Abstract Fidaxomicin use to treat proven Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) was compared between 20 patients receiving care in critical care units (CCUs) and 30 patients treated on general medical floors. At baseline, the CCU patients had more initial CDI episodes, more severe […]
Neutrophils and macrophages are the foot soldiers asserting first major line of defense against most bacterial and fungal infections. In diabetic patients with higher than normal blood glucose levels (prolonged hyperglycemia) often seen in individuals with inadequately controlled diabetes, this critical element of host defense becomes less effective in prevention and containment of infections. It is important […]
Clostridium difficile-Associated Diarrhea (CDAD) or Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) in the past 15 or so years has emerged as a serious challenge due to the following reasons: [] Infections are more commonly seen, especially in older population. Nursing home and other assisted living residents with medical comorbidities are highly vulnerable to this potentially devastating illness. […]