Pneumonia - Highlights

Highlights	Risk Factors	Prevention
Introduction	Diagnosis	Resources
Causes	Treatment	References
Symptoms	Medications
Prognosis	Surgery

Highlights

Drug Warnings:

Ketek. In January 2006, the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory for health care providers and patients using telithromycin (Ketek). Patients treated with the antibiotic Ketek should stop using the drug if yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (a condition called jaundice) develops. The FDA issued this advisory after reports that three patients treated with Ketek had severe liver injury. One of the patients died, and one needed a liver transplant. Ketek, the first in a new class of antibiotics, is used to treat respiratory infections in adults.

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Tequin. In February 2006, Bristol-Myers Squibbsaid that diabetics should not use the antibotic Tequin (gatifloxacin) because of reports of serious changes in blood sugar levels in vulnerable people. The company is changingthe product's prescription information.

Avian (Bird) Flu:

A strain of bird flu known as H5N1 is spreading in poultry around the globe. The virus has infected a small number of people. The human death rate is high. International health authorities are closely monitoring the situation, for fear this strain will become the next influenza pandemic (global epidemic).

Influenza (Flu) Prevention:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a Heath Alert regarding the use of M2 inhibitors (amantadine and rimantadine) for the prevention or treatment of flu. Due to significant increase in Influenza A resistance to this class of antiviral medication, the CDC recommended against its use for the end of the 2005-2006 flu season.