This is the first double-blind controlled study of famciclovir, an oral antiviral agent, as potential therapy for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carries. A fall of more than 90% in HBV DNA levels was noted in six of 11 evaluable patients treated with a 10 day course of oral famciclovir. Further studies with more prolonged therapy are ongoing.

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SIJMMARYNasal swabs were taken from 492 babies born consecutively to residents of two South Wales towns soon after their discharge from maternity hospitals. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 352 babies (72 %) and in 79 (22 %) of these it was resistant to at least one antibiotic. By the time these babies were a year old the prevalence of both sensitive and resistant strains had fallen, so that only 12 % still carried nasal staphylococci, but 64 % of these organisms were then resistant to penicillin. Administration of penicillin to the baby seemed to be a more important factor in selecting resistant organisms than other antibiotics given to the baby, any antibiotic treatment to other members of the household, or discharge from hospital.

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