Bug or no bug: challenges in diagnosing cutaneous mycobacterial infections

Cutaneous mycobacterioses are rare in Germany. Nevertheless, early diagnosis and subsequent effective treatment requires awareness of these conditions. Moreover, mycobacterial infections are on the differential diagnosis list of many skin diseases. Diagnoses of cutaneous mycobacterioses are based on clinical features, but also on laboratory investigations, including bacterial culture, histopathology and PCR‐based methods. Knowledge about the opportunities and limitations of theses laboratory tests is pivotal to reasonable clinical decision‐making. In this paper, we review the current diagnostic options when suspecting a case of cutaneous mycobacterial infection.     

Bizentrische Untersuchung zur Verordnung von Anfallsunterbrechungsmedikamenten im pädiatrischen Alltag

Clinical Epileptology - Zur Anfallsunterbrechung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit epileptischen Anfällen stehen mehrere Medikamente zur Verfügung, deren Applikation auch durch Laienhelfer...     

BRIDGE (Building the Relationship Between Body Image and Disordered Eating Graph and Explanation): A Tool for Parents and Professionals

BRIDGE (Building the Relationship Between Body Image and Disordered Eating Graph and Explanation) is a tool for mental health professionals, parents, teachers, and the general public. BRIDGE offers the potential for a new level of understanding between body image and disordered eating behaviors. This tool provides a framework that describes the connection between the attitudes we hold about our bodies and the corresponding behaviors we may practice. This practical tool takes fundamental concepts established in the eating disorder literature and presents them in a basic and easily understood manner. This paper invites further testing of this educational tool for parents, teachers, and professionals in a number of contexts including prevention and treatment programs.     

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in central Asia

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has emerged as a major threat to TB control, particularly in the former Soviet Union. To determine levels of drug resistance within a directly observed treatment strategy (DOTS) program supported by Médecins Sans Frontières in two regions in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, Central Asia, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of smear-positive TB patients in selected districts of Karakalpakstan (Uzbekistan) and Dashoguz (Turkmenistan). High levels of MDR-TB were found in both regions. In Karakalpakstan, 14 (13%) of 106 new patients were infected with MDR-TB; 43 (40%) of 107 previously treated patients were similarly infected. The proportions for Dashoguz were 4% (4/105 patients) and 18% (18/98 patients), respectively. Overall, 27% of patients with positive smear results whose infections were treated through the DOTS program in Karakalpakstan and 11% of similar patients in Dashoguz were infected with multidrug-resistant strains of TB on admission. These results show the need for concerted action by the international community to contain transmission and reduce the effects of MDR-TB.