Case Report: Disseminated Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in a Dog

An uncommon disseminated Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is described in a 12-year-old female dog presenting with fever, dyspnea, cough, weight loss, lymphadenopathy, melena, epistaxis, and emesis. The dog had a history of close contact with its owner, who died of pulmonary tuberculosis. Radiographic examination revealed diffuse radio-opaque images in both lung lobes, diffuse visible masses in abdominal organs, and hilar and mesenteric lymphadenopathy. Bronchial washing samples and feces were negative for acid-fast organisms. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based species identification of bronchial washing samples, feces, and urine revealed M. tuberculosis using PCR-restriction enzyme pattern analysis-PRA. Because of public health concerns, which were worsened by the physical condition of the dog, euthanasia of the animal was recommended. Rough and tough colonies suggestive of M. tuberculosis were observed after microbiological culture of lung, liver, spleen, heart, and lymph node fragments in Löwenstein-Jensen and Stonebrink media. The PRA analysis enabled diagnosis of M. tuberculosis strains isolated from organs.     

Cactus Thorn Arthritis: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Synovitis secondary to penetrating plant thorn injuries is an infrequently reported event. Despite its wide geographic distribution, thorns from the prickly pear cactus (Optunia ficusindica) are a rare source of this type of inflammatory arthritis. We hereby present an unusual case of an individual who developed an acute monoarthritis of the knee shortly after sustaining a penetrating cactus thorn injury. The clinical and pathophysiologic features of cactus thorn arthritis are reviewed and the unusual features present in this individual are highlighted. Treatment options, with an emphasis on rapid diagnosis and therapeutic interventions, are discussed. Increased physician awareness and recognition of this unusual but not rare entity are essential as a means of improving clinical outcome. Received: 17 February 2000 / Accepted: 29 May 2000     

Candida Glabrata Arthritis: Case Report and Review of the Literature of Candida Arthritis

We report a case of arthritis due to Candida (Torulopsis) glabrata in two different joints at different times in the same patient. The first episode of arthritis was situated in the right ankle and lasted more than 1 year before the patient agreed to the proposed treatment. Therapy with intravenous amphotericin B and oral fluconazole failed. A cure was achieved with weekly intra-articular administration of amphotericin B, which was continued for more than 20 weeks and combined with oral itraconazole. Several weeks later the patient developed Candida glabrata arthritis of the left knee while still taking itraconazole. Immediately, intravenous amphotericin B therapy was started and was successful. Because there were no previous invasive point manipulations or trauma, the infections were considered to be haematogenously disseminated. Chronic corticosteroid and repeated antibiotic therapy for infectious exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and alcohol abuse are the presumed risk factors in this otherwise immunocompetent patient. Received: 1 September 1998 / Accepted: 12 February 1999     

Rhabdomyolysis after COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Rhabdomyolysis is a condition in which muscle breaks down potentially leading to renal dysfunction, and often occurs secondary to a precipitating factor. Viral or bacterial infections are common precipitants for initiating rhabdomyolysis. Recently, healthcare systems across the world have been challenged by a pandemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing ‘coronavirus disease 2019’ (COVID-19) disease. SARS-CoV-2 infection is recognized to cause respiratory and cardiovascular compromise, thromboembolic events, and acute kidney injury (AKI); however, it is not known whether it can precipitate rhabdomyolysis, with only a limited number of cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection preceding rhabdomyolysis reported to date. Here, we report the case of a 64-year-old woman who developed rhabdomyolysis shortly after SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19. She initially presented with muscular pain, a creatine kinase level of 119,301 IU/L, and a mild rise in her creatinine level to 92 µmol/L, but successfully recovered with intravenous fluid support. We also review the literature to summarise previously reported cases of rhabdomyolysis precipitated by SARS-CoV-2, highlighting the need to consider this diagnosis in patients presenting with SARS-CoV-2 and myalgia.     

Pneumomediastinum Following Anastomotic Leakage in Colon Surgery: A Case Report and Literature Review

We are presenting the case of a 62-year-old woman who developed a pneumomediastinum as a complication of anastomotic leakage (AL) following laparoscopic sigmoid resection due to diverticulitis. The patient presented with retroperitoneal air, pneumomediastinum, emphysematous gall bladder, air in the wall of stomach, and proximal small bowel. There were a few tiny air bubbles around the anastomosis. We discuss this unusual clinical presentation of intraperitoneal and extraperitoneal air as a presenting sign of AL.     

Case Report: Adult Nesidioblastosis A Case Report and Review of the Literature

George F. Laidlaw first described a pancreatic abnormality now known to be the most common cause of persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia in infants in 1938 (1, 2). The term he coined, nesidioblastosis, is derived from the Greek words for islets (nesidia) and germ (blastos) (3). It accurately describes the characteristic feature of nesidioblastosis, islet cells differentiating and budding from ductal epithelium. In adults, hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia is rarely caused by nesidioblastosis and is usually caused by insulinoma or exogenous insulin treatment (4, 5). The first case series of adult nesidioblastosis was reported by Harness et al in 1981 (6). Since this case series of six patients, there have been only sporadic literature reports of adult nesidioblastosis, documenting fewer than 20 cases of adult nesidioblastosis over the past 15 years (3, 7-10). This paper presents an adult patient with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia due to nesidioblastosis and provides a guide to the diagnosis and treatment of this rare disorder in the adult population.     

Bacterial Infection in Deep Paraspinal Muscles in a Parturient Following Epidural Analgesia: A Case Report and Literature Review: A CARE-Compliant Article

Bacterial infection related to epidural catheterizations could occur. In general, the incidence of postoperative infection at the insertion site is very low. Paucity literatures are reported for paraspinal muscle infection after epidural analgesia in parturient. We report a case of paraspinal muscle infection shortly after epidural analgesia in a parturient, who was subjected to because of threatened preterm labor. Epidural morphine was administered for 2 days for childbirth pain control. She began to have constant low-back pain and fever on postpartum Day 2. Magnetic resonance image revealed a broad area of subcutaneous edema with a continuum along the catheter trajectory deep to the paraspinal muscles. A catheter-related bacterial infection was suspected. The surgical debridement and drainage was required combined with intravenous antibiotics on postpartum Day 3. She was soon cured uncomplicatedly.Epidural analgesia is effective to control labor pain and, in general, it is safe. However, the sequelae of complicated infection may be underestimated. A literature search yielded 7 other cases of catheter-related epidural abscess or soft tissue infection. Vigilance for these infections, especially in postpartum patients with backache, is needed. Moreover, early detection and proper treatment of infectious signs at postanesthetic visit are very important.     

Septic Coronary Artery Embolism Treated with Aspiration Thrombectomy: Case Report and Review of Literature

Coronary embolization is a potentially fatal sequela of endocarditis. We report a case of Candida endocarditis with septic embolism to the left anterior descending coronary artery. This embolism was successfully treated with aspiration thrombectomy followed by balloon angioplasty. The treatment of acute coronary syndrome in the presence of septic embolism is controversial. Aspiration thrombectomy has been performed in this situation before, and it appears to be safer and more feasible than is thrombolysis or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.     

Fatal Disseminated Tuberculosis and Concurrent Disseminated Cryptococcosis in a Ruxolitinib-treated Patient with Primary Myelofibrosis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Ruxolitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor, improves symptoms in patients with myelofibrosis. However, its association with the development of opportunistic infections has been a concern. We herein report a 71-year-old man with primary myelofibrosis who developed disseminated tuberculosis and concurrent disseminated cryptococcosis during ruxolitinib treatment. We also reviewed the literature on disseminated tuberculosis and/or cryptococcosis associated with ruxolitinib treatment. This is the first case of disseminated tuberculosis and concurrent disseminated cryptococcosis during treatment with ruxolitinib. We therefore suggest considering not only disseminated tuberculosis but also cryptococcosis in the differential diagnosis of patients with abnormal pulmonary shadows during ruxolitinib treatment.     

Case Report: A Case of Diabetic Ketoacidosis Following Chikungunya Virus Infection

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease that has recently become endemic in the Caribbean, including the island of Puerto Rico. We present the case of a 50-year-old Puerto Rican man who traveled to St. Louis for business and was diagnosed with acute chikungunya virus infection with atypical features causing diabetic ketoacidosis. This case highlights the need to keep tropical infectious diseases on the differential diagnosis in appropriate individuals and the ways in which tropical infectious diseases can masquerade as part of common presentations.     

Case Report: Aortoesophageal Fistula Case Report and Review of the Literature

Dubrueil (1) described the first case ofaortoesophageal fistula in 1818. Chiari (2) in 1914described the syndrome of aortoesophageal fistula as atriad of: midthoracic pain or dysphagia followed by a herald hemorrhage and fatalhematemesis. Carter et al (3), in an autopsy review of24 cases of aortoesophageal fistula, found that 80% hada sentinal hemorrhage prior to fatal exsanguination. Wereport a case of an aortoesophageal fistula due to asaccular aneurysm of the descending aorta and review thecauses, clinical manifestations, diagnostic modalities,and treatment options of this uncommon but often fatal cause of upper gastrointestinalhemorrhage.     

Pituitary Lymphoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

We report the case of a B-cell type pituitary lymphoma in a 65 year-old male immunocompetent patient who presented with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and central hypothyroidism and subsequently developed pulmonary lymphoma. Only three cases of pituitary lymphoma have been previously reported, one in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, one case of T-cell lymphoma reported in the Japanese literature, and one case of B-cell lymphoma. The previously reported immunocompetent patients presented with signs and symptoms of optic chiasm compression as contrasted to our patients endocrinologic presentation. B-cell lymphoma of the pituitary gland is a exceedingly rare though distinct clinical entity.     

Granulomatous Gastritis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

A 69-yr-old white female presented to her physician with a 3-yr history of epigastric pain. Gastric biopsies revealed noncaseating granulomas in the mucosa and submucosa. No definite etiological factor could be detected. A diagnosis of idiopathic granulomatous gastritis was made. In the past, this condition has prompted surgery. Steroids have also been advocated. Our patient was managed successfully with symptomatic treatment, without the use of steroids or surgical intervention. She remains well 4 yr later.     

Syphilitic Hepatitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Although recognized for more than 400 yr hepatic complications of syphilis are uncommon and frequently overlooked as explanations for acute liver dysfunction. We describe a case of acute hepatitis during the course of relapsing secondary syphilis, with additional confirmation of the diagnosis by lymph node biopsy demonstrating Treponema pallidum.