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The Military International HIV Training Program (MIHTP) was established in 2002 to address the overwhelming needs of international military personnel concerning HIV and AIDS prevention, care, and treatment. The purpose of this study was to determine shortterm knowledge transfer in trainees attending the MIHTP by comparing data collected from pretraining and post-training knowledge assessments.We used identical 40-question multiple choice pre-training and post-training assessments to determine the short-term transfer of knowledge of international HIV military physicians attending the MIHTP.Findings revealed a statistically significant increase in short-term transfer of knowledge of HIV prevention, care, and treatment in a population of international military physicians, nurses, and auxiliary medical personnel from 47 developing countries (n=136). Trainees had significantly higher post-test scores (67.9%) compared with pre-test scores (50.5%, plt;0.001). Trainees showed a similar level of HIV knowledge as assessed by pre-training evaluations (F=1.38).We found significant increases in acquired individual knowledge after a 4-week HIV training program. Results of this study are important as many developing countries rely heavily on international training programs to aid in the development of health care systems in an ever-changing infrastructure.

The etiology of Kawasaki syndrome (KS), the most commoncause of acquired heart disease in children, has eluded investigators for more than 30 years.1 Despite its clinical similarity to other infectious diseases, exhaustive search for the causative agent has been thus far unsuccessful. This acute, self-limited vasculitis results in permanent coronary artery damage in up to 25% of untreated children. High dose intravenous gamma globulin reduces the risk of coronary artery aneurysm to 3–5% if administered early in the course of disease.2 However, without a specific diagnostic test, affected children may be difficult to recognize, and delayed diagnosis and treatment continue to result in potentially preventable morbidity and mortality.3 Thus, there is urgency to the quest for the etiologic agent. Historically, study of the distribution of human diseases within a community has led to valuable insights into their causation. To further test the hypothesis that the immunologic reaction that we recognize as acute KS is triggered by an infectious agent, we analyzed KS cases in a circumscribed region with respect to time and place. Cluster analysis of this geo-referenced data suggested a nonrandom distribution of cases, lending further weight to the hypothesis that acute KS is triggered by an infectious agent.

Interdisciplinary collaboration is viewed as a critical factor in delivering quality patient care. The purpose of this study was to describe nurse-physician perceptions of collaboration relationship on general medical-surgical units.