At least 95% of patients with duodenal ulcers and 80% of patients with gastric ulcers are infected with Helicobacter pylori. H. pylori is clearly recognised as the major culprit involved in the pathophysiology of peptic ulcer disease. Since eradication of this organism has prevented ulcer...

The treatment and prevention of tuberculosis have gained importance as the number of cases continues to increase worldwide and the ability of the disease to pass from one area to another becomes progressively greater. Interventions used in the US to help control the disease include the...

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the annual resource use and corresponding costs (at 1996/97 prices) to the UK's National Health Service (NHS) arising from the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Design and Setting: A subgroup analysis was performed...

Outpatient parenteral antibacterial therapy (OPAT) is an increasingly popular means of containing the costs of antibacterial therapy, by avoiding the need for hospitalisation or allowing early discharge from hospital, in patients with serious infections. It also offers increased comfort and...

The discovery of Helicobacter pylori revolutionised thinking about the cause of peptic ulcer disease. The most common causes of peptic ulcers are H. pylori infection and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. H. pylori is typically acquired in childhood. The risk of acquiring an H. pylori...

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and places a large burden on medical and economic resources, particularly if hospitalization is required. Indeed, it has been estimated that annual costs of inpatient treatment of patients with CAP...

This article reviews perioperative antibacterial prophylaxis, a discrete in-hospital intervention that prevents surgical site infections and reduces the costs of complications and adverse effects of care. Clinical trials have shown that, when used appropriately, prophylactic antibacterial agents...

In patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), it is uncommon for the causative pathogen to be identified when initial antimicrobial therapy is prescribed. Thus, an empirical approach is generally taken, based on antimicrobial therapy which covers the major pathogens of CAP. Although...

Neutropenic patients with cancer are at risk of serious infection, particularly if neutropenia is severe or prolonged. Because patients with neutropenia have a diminished inflammatory response, fever is sometimes the first, and only, sign of infection. Prompt empirical antibacterial therapy is...