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Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2023, the etiological agent for histoplasmosis, is a dimorphic fungus that grows as a mold in the environment and as a yeast in human tissues. The areas of highest... (Review)
Review
, the etiological agent for histoplasmosis, is a dimorphic fungus that grows as a mold in the environment and as a yeast in human tissues. The areas of highest endemicity lie within the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys of North America and parts of Central and South America. The most common clinical presentations include pulmonary histoplasmosis, which can resemble community-acquired pneumonia, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, or malignancy; however, certain patients can develop mediastinal involvement or progression to disseminated disease. Understanding the epidemiology, pathology, clinical presentation, and diagnostic testing performance is pivotal for a successful diagnosis. While most immunocompetent patients with mild acute or subacute pulmonary histoplasmosis should receive therapy, all immunocompromised patients and those with chronic pulmonary disease or progressive disseminated disease should also receive therapy. Liposomal amphotericin B is the agent of choice for severe or disseminated disease, and itraconazole is recommended in milder cases or as "step-down" therapy after initial improvement with amphotericin B. In this review, we discuss the current epidemiology, pathology, diagnosis, clinical presentations, and management of pulmonary histoplasmosis.
PubMed: 36836350
DOI: 10.3390/jof9020236 -
Forensic Science, Medicine, and... Sep 2018Although death from food is not an uncommon finding in forensic facilities worldwide, the range of underlying lethal mechanisms and associated conditions that should be... (Review)
Review
Although death from food is not an uncommon finding in forensic facilities worldwide, the range of underlying lethal mechanisms and associated conditions that should be sought at the time of autopsy is quite disparate. Deaths may occur from i) infectious agents including bacteria, viruses, protozoa, cestodes, nematodes and prions; ii) natural toxins including amanita toxins, tetrodotoxin, ciguatera and scombroid; iii) anaphylaxis; iv) poisoning; v) mechanical issues around airway and gut obstruction and/or perforation; and vi) miscellaneous causes. Food-related deaths are important in terms of global mortality, and thus autopsies need to be comprehensive with full ancillary testing. Medicolegal matters may involve issues concerning likely exposure to infectious agents, possible foods ingested, the declared content and possible components of food, the significance of toxicological analyses, and aspects of duty of care in cases of café coronary syndrome and gastroenteritis while in care.
Topics: Airway Obstruction; Anaphylaxis; Esophageal Perforation; Food; Food Hypersensitivity; Food Microbiology; Foodborne Diseases; Forensic Medicine; Humans; Mediastinal Diseases; Obesity; Pica; Prader-Willi Syndrome
PubMed: 28710688
DOI: 10.1007/s12024-017-9899-9 -
Respiratory Investigation Jan 2024Recent advances in imaging analysis have enabled evaluation of ventilation and perfusion in specific regions by chest computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance... (Review)
Review
Recent advances in imaging analysis have enabled evaluation of ventilation and perfusion in specific regions by chest computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in addition to modalities including dynamic chest radiography, scintigraphy, positron emission tomography (PET), ultrasound, and electrical impedance tomography (EIT). In this review, an overview of current functional imaging techniques is provided for each modality. Advances in chest CT have allowed for the analysis of local volume changes and small airway disease in addition to emphysema, using the Jacobian determinant and parametric response mapping with inspiratory and expiratory images. Airway analysis can reveal characteristics of airway lesions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma, and the contribution of dysanapsis to obstructive diseases. Chest CT is also employed to measure pulmonary blood vessels, interstitial lung abnormalities, and mediastinal and chest wall components including skeletal muscle and bone. Dynamic CT can visualize lung deformation in respective portions. Pulmonary MRI has been developed for the estimation of lung ventilation and perfusion, mainly using hyperpolarized Xe. Oxygen-enhanced and proton-based MRI, without a polarizer, has potential clinical applications. Dynamic chest radiography is gaining traction in Japan for ventilation and perfusion analysis. Single photon emission CT can be used to assess ventilation-perfusion (V˙/Q˙) mismatch in pulmonary vascular diseases and COPD. PET/CT V˙/Q˙ imaging has also been demonstrated using "Galligas". Both ultrasound and EIT can detect pulmonary edema caused by acute respiratory distress syndrome. Familiarity with these functional imaging techniques will enable clinicians to utilize these systems in clinical practice.
Topics: Humans; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Lung; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Pulmonary Emphysema; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Magnetic Resonance Imaging
PubMed: 37948969
DOI: 10.1016/j.resinv.2023.09.004 -
Current Health Sciences Journal 2017Cysts of the mediastinum, which are benign masses, are usually detected by chance, and constitute a small but important diagnose group, representing 7 to 18% of all...
INTRODUCTION
Cysts of the mediastinum, which are benign masses, are usually detected by chance, and constitute a small but important diagnose group, representing 7 to 18% of all primary mediastinal tumors. Pleuropericardial cysts, located most frequently in the left anterior and inferior mediastinum, are identified in the fourth or fifth decade of life affecting females more than males with a sex ratio of 8:4.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
We present the case of a 52 year old woman diagnosed with pericardial cyst located in the left cardiophrenic angle. CPP was rather big and was initially diagnosed as encysted pleurisy. Ultrasound guided exploratory thoracentesis was performed evacuating 300 ml "water spring" like fluid very scarce in cells. We further investigated our patient for differential diagnosis but the patient refused surgery and she is now managed conservatively with a close follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS
A pericardial cyst should always be suspected when a cystic lesion is detected in the mediastinum. Pleuropericardial cysts are usually suspected after an abnormal chest X-ray is obtained. If the patient is asymptomatic and the information provided by CT indicates a benign tumoral process suggestive for a pleuropericardial cyst, conservative management with careful follow-up is justified.
PubMed: 30595860
DOI: 10.12865/CHSJ.43.01.13 -
Infection and Drug Resistance 2018Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI), also known as mediastinitis, is a serious and potentially fatal condition. The diagnosis and treatment of DSWI are challenging. In... (Review)
Review
Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI), also known as mediastinitis, is a serious and potentially fatal condition. The diagnosis and treatment of DSWI are challenging. In this current narrative review, the epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and surgical and antimicrobial management of DSWI are discussed. Ideally, the management of DSWI requires early and sufficient surgical debridement and appropriate antibiotic therapy. When foreign material is present, biofilm-active antibiotic therapy is also needed. Because DSWI is often complex, the management requires the involvement of a multidisciplinary team consisting of cardiothoracic surgeons, plastic surgeons, intensivists, infectious disease specialists, and clinical microbiologists.
PubMed: 30038509
DOI: 10.2147/IDR.S130172 -
Open Forum Infectious Diseases May 2024This study aimed to characterize the demographics, microbiology, management and treatment outcomes of mediastinitis according to the origin of the infection.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to characterize the demographics, microbiology, management and treatment outcomes of mediastinitis according to the origin of the infection.
METHODS
This retrospective observational study enrolled patients who had mediastinitis diagnosed according to the criteria defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and were treated in Strasbourg University Hospital, France, between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2020.
RESULTS
We investigated 151 cases, including 63 cases of poststernotomy mediastinitis (PSM), 60 cases of mediastinitis due to esophageal perforation (MEP) and 17 cases of descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM). The mean patient age (standard deviation) was 63 (14.5) years, and 109 of 151 patients were male. Microbiological documentation varied according to the origin of the infection. When documented, PSM cases were mostly monomicrobial (36 of 53 cases [67.9%]) and involved staphylococci (36 of 53 [67.9%]), whereas MEP and DNM cases were mostly plurimicrobial (38 of 48 [79.2%] and 8 of 12 [66.7%], respectively) and involved digestive or oral flora microorganisms, respectively. The median duration of anti-infective treatment was 41 days (interquartile range, 21-56 days), and 122 of 151 patients (80.8%) benefited from early surgical management. The overall 1-year survival rate was estimated to be 64.8% (95% confidence interval, 56.6%-74.3%), but varied from 80.1% for DNM to 61.5% for MEP.
CONCLUSIONS
Mediastinitis represents a rare yet deadly infection. The present cohort study exhibited the different patterns observed according to the origin of the infection. Greater insight and knowledge on these differences may help guide the management of these complex infections, especially with respect to empirical anti-infective treatments.
PubMed: 38751899
DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae225 -
Respirology (Carlton, Vic.) Jul 2019
Topics: Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration; Humans; Lymphadenopathy; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node
PubMed: 30897268
DOI: 10.1111/resp.13536 -
Tidsskrift For Den Norske Laegeforening... Jan 2021Syphilis is a sexually transmittable infectious disease caused by the spirochaete Treponema pallidum, which classically causes symptoms in three stages.
BACKGROUND
Syphilis is a sexually transmittable infectious disease caused by the spirochaete Treponema pallidum, which classically causes symptoms in three stages.
CASE PRESENTATION
A previously healthy male in his thirties was admitted to our department after suffering from diplopia and unilateral ptosis for two days. Clinical examination revealed a left-sided oculomotor palsy with an ipsilateral ptosis. Supplementary cerebral computer tomography with angiography and magnetic resonance imaging was normal except for lymphadenopathy in the neck and mediastinum. As the patient was homosexual, we chose to test for HIV. The doctor on duty, being from Belarus where syphilis was recognised as endemic during her studies, also screened for syphilis. The HIV test was negative, while the syphilis test was positive. Lumbar puncture showed moderate pleocytosis and positive serology for syphilis, confirming the diagnosis of neurosyphilis. The patient recovered fully after a course of penicillin.
INTERPRETATION
Even though syphilis remains uncommon in Norway, the incidence has been increasing in recent decades, especially in male homosexual communities. Patients may subsequently present with a diversity of symptoms.
Topics: Diplopia; Female; Humans; Male; Neurosyphilis; Norway; Syphilis; Syphilis Serodiagnosis; Treponema pallidum
PubMed: 33433108
DOI: 10.4045/tidsskr.19.0728 -
Mediastinum (Hong Kong, China) 2020Mediastinal tumours are not uncommon in paediatric population and often pose a diagnostic challenge. They include a variety of entities including developmental,... (Review)
Review
Mediastinal tumours are not uncommon in paediatric population and often pose a diagnostic challenge. They include a variety of entities including developmental, inflammatory, infectious and neoplastic; most are malignant. These lesions can be classified based on imaging according to the specific compartment (anterior, middle and posterior), generating a focused differential diagnosis. This combined with a rational, clinically oriented approach based on patient's history, focused physical examination, age, gender, symptoms, signs, anatomic localization, imaging characteristics and laboratory investigations including tumor markers paves way to a presumptive diagnosis guiding additional and prudent investigations. For example, a suspicion of lymphoma should be kept in a child presenting with a neck mass and superior vena cava syndrome. Neuroblastoma should be suspected among children younger than 5 years old with a posterior mediastinal mass. Such a structured approach along with histopathology will lead to an exact diagnosis. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment of most benign and malignant non-lymphoid tumours. For optimal management, a combined modality of treatment incorporating chemotherapy and radiotherapy is often required in malignant tumours and is associated with high survival rates in these patients. In the present article, we review the approach to evaluation of mediastinal masses in childhood from a clinical perspective.
PubMed: 35118289
DOI: 10.21037/med-19-82