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The 17th International AIDS Conference was held in Mexico City from August 3 to 8, 2008. This conference attracted more than 20,000 participants and provided some significant new insights into HIV therapeutics.

In most HIV-infected persons, one or more dermatological conditions develop at some point during their lifetime.1 Among the spectrum of dermatological diseases, those associated with pruritus are among the most common.

In addition to standard therapy for sinusitis, suggest that patients breathe in steam from water that contains eucalyptus leaves or oil.

Change is in the air. By the time this column is published, the nation will know who will next occupy the White House; many appointees of the departing administration will most likely have already moved on to new positions; and potential appointees will be polishing their résumés and pressing the wrinkles out of their good interview suit.

What’s The “Take Home”? Elderly Man With Late-Night Confusion and Hypoglycemia

New research suggests that AIDS among humans occurred at least 3 decades earlier than previously thought. Rapid urbanization in west-central Africa “was the turning point that allowed the pandemic to start,” said Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the study’s lead author (Avasthi A. National Geographic News. October 1, 2008).

One fun thing to do at an International AIDS Conference-aside from the social aspects and the presentations, protests, and theatre found in the Global Village-is to match your wisdom and art in the selection of antiretroviral drug regimens to that of a large audience of HIV-treating physicians and expert panel members. In this sense, the 17th International AIDS Conference, held this year in Mexico City, did not disappoint.

Because the medical literature and direct-to-consumer advertising have focused mainly on the burden of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, recent screening guidelines for this disease in men may catch some by surprise.

A previously healthy 16-year-old boy presents for evaluation of a slightly pruritic, nontender, generalized rash.

It’s been 10 years since you first started to see our “What’s The ‘Take Home’?” feature every month in CONSULTANT. Our goal then, as it remains today . . . to bring you real-life clinical cases that keep you up-to date on the latest thinking-and that offer a “takehome message” you can put to immediate use in your daily practice.

Pneumonia remains a concern for persons with long-standing HIV infection. We pre­sent a case of a 43-year-old HIV-infected woman with bilateral pneumonia whose pre­sentation suggested the cause was a bacterial pathogen.

A 36-year-old man presents to the emergency department (ED) after a single tonic-clonic seizure. He has a history of numerous male sexual contacts. HIV infection was diagnosed 5 months earlier. At that time his CD4+ cell count was 66/μL and his HIV RNA level was 20,000 copies/mL.

A 14-month-old infant was brought by his mother for evaluation of fever (temperature, 39.4ºC [103ºF]) and a tender, indurated, warm area with surrounding edema and a centrally located papule in the left groin.

A 75-year-old man is brought to the emergency department (ED) after awakening in the night very confused and disoriented. His wife had called 911; when the paramedics arrived, they found his blood glucose level to be 36 mg/dL.

Consider including the “bounce test” in your assessment of a febrile toddler: have the parent bounce the child on his or her knee as in the “horsey ride” game.

Mycobacterium goodii infection is uncommon and probablyoccurs via disruption of skin and bone integrity or theintroduction of a foreign body into viscera, namely implantationof a prosthetic device. We describe a case of nosocomial,total knee arthroplasty–associated M goodii infection thatrequired combined antibiotic and surgical therapy for clinicalmanagement. An infection control investigation revealed thatthe source of the organism might have been the water in theoperating room scrub faucets. [Infect Med. 2008;25:522-525]

Posaconazole, indicated for prophylaxis of invasive Aspergillus and Candida infections in immunosuppressed patients aged 13 years or older and for treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis (Table 1), is like other triazole antifungals in that it blocks ergosterol biosynthesis. 1 Its chemical structure is most similar to that of itraconazole (Figure), which may confer efficacy even against strains resistant to fluconazole and voriconazole.2

A 55-year-old man with no past medical problems presented with headache, difficulty in walking, and loss of balance of 3 days' duration. Physical examination findings and laboratory test results were unremarkable except for lethargy, slurred speech, positive Romberg sign, hyponatremia, and leukocytosis with left shift.