Infectious Disease

Although most persons infected with Coccidioides immitis (Figure) are asymptomatic or have only mild illness, those who are immunocompromised are at increased risk for more severe disease. This is also true for patients with diabetes mellitus.

Blastoschizomyces capitatus is an emerging pathogen that causes infection primarily in patients who have immune system dysfunction. The author reports a case of pulmonary blastoschizomycosis in an immunocompetent man who was successfully treated with voriconazole.

abstract: In the past, constrictive pericarditis was most often caused by tuberculosis. Today, however, it is more likely to be preceded by injury or trauma, infection, or previous cardiac surgery. Most patients with constrictive pericarditis present with dyspnea and have elevated jugular venous pressure. Other potential symptoms and signs include peripheral edema, abdominal fullness, hepatomegaly, ascites, and chest pain. Electrocardiography demonstrates nonspecific ST-segment and T-wave changes and generalized T-wave inversion or flattening. In many cases, chest radiography and CT reveal pericardial calcification, and echocardiography shows increased pericardial thickness and calcification. Treatment may include NSAIDs, corticosteroids, antibiotics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and diuretics. Surgery is the treatment of choice for chronic disease, and pericardiectomy is typically effective. (J Respir Dis. 2007;28(2):49-56)

A 69-year-old man with a history of atrial fibrillation, pulmonary embolism, asthma, and obstructive sleep apnea presented to the emergency department for evaluation of dyspnea and light-headedness. He had been treated for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation over the past 5 years; fairly good control had been achieved with metoprolol and amiodarone. However, over the past several months, he had been experiencing intermittent episodes of atrial fibrillation.

ABSTRACT: Heel pain that occurs with the first several steps in the morning and diminishes as walking continues is the classic symptom of plantar fasciitis. Assessment of risk factors, such as improper footwear, a change in physical activities, and a new running surface, is important. Radiographs are rarely useful. Plantar fasciitis is generally self-limited; symptoms typically take 6 to 18 months to resolve. Conservative measures may include relative rest, stretching, strengthening, shoe modifications, orthoses, night splints, NSAIDs, and ice therapy. A corticosteroid injection may be warranted in resistant cases. If extensive conservative treatment is unsuccessful, referral to an orthopedic surgeon may be indicated.

A 26-year-old woman presented with a1-week history of pleuritic chest painand abdominal pain, which was associatedwith nausea but unrelated tofood intake or bowel movements. Shehad also had gross hematuria for thepast 10 days and swelling around hereyes and ankles as well as fatigue andarthralgias for 2 weeks.

In his recent editorial Putting Guidelines for Chronic Kidney Disease IntoPractice (CONSULTANT, October 2006, page 1295), Dr Gregory Ruteckidiscussed the results of a study that shows many clinicians fail to follow evidence-based guidelines for the management of chronic kidney disease(CKD), such as when to consult a nephrologist.1 A sampling of the feedbackwe received appears below, along with Dr Rutecki's responses.

Medical technology is a double-edged sword. CT scans help detect early disease, but with the addition of contrast, they may cause renal failure. Pacemakers save countless lives, but they can become infected and lead to serious complications.

For several months, a 68-year-old man has had a highly pruritic rash on his lower legs. A similar rash recently arose on his trunk and arms. Treatment with a corticosteroid cream has been ineffective. The patient has diet-controlled diabetes and hypertension that is well controlled by medication.

This lesion on her knee had been present for 5 years, reported a 22-year-old woman. It was not related to any trauma; its size had not changed, but occasionally it became darker or lighter. Excisional biopsy revealed lymphangioma circumscriptum, a benign, hamartomatous malformation of dilated lymph channels that may be filled with clear fluid because of communication with deeper lymphatics or, as in this case, serosanguinous fluid.

For a week, a 39-year-old woman with a history of intravenous heroin use had generalized pain, fever, chills, and a nonproductive cough. She rated the pain at 10 on a scale of 1 to 10; it was sharp, constant, and unrelieved by heroin. She also reported dyspnea at rest, pleuritic chest pain, and a 15-lb weight loss over the past month. She had no significant medical history or drug allergies, smoked a half pack of cigarettes per day, and denied alcohol use.

A recent editorial in The New York Times heralded the conclusion, from 2 large sub-Saharan African studies, that male circumcision dramatically suppresses HIV acquisition rates as the "most important development in AIDS research since the debut of antiretroviral drugs."1 The editorial went on to state that while a "real [AIDS] vaccine is years away . . . we know its near equivalent [now] exists."1But Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, was more circumspect. "These results could be negated by a small decrease in condom use or the addition of more sexual partners," he cautioned.2

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Four months after the Institute of Medicine scolded the FDA for its regulation of drug safety, the FDA countered with a response that sidestepped some of the key recommendations for reform.

DALLAS -- Serious symptoms of sickle cell disease in childhood don't imply a greater risk of premature stroke or death for patients as they grow up, according to researchers here.

SAN DIEGO -- Off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery for women nearly eliminates the gender gap for cardiac morbidity and mortality, researchers said here. However, men still did better.

SEATTLE -- For women, infection with a common sexually transmitted disease sharply increases the risk of contracting HIV, according to researchers here.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Women with hepatitis C virus infections who drink heavily squander their normal survival advantage over men with the same infection, cutting a decade off their lives, investigators here reported.

ST. LOUIS -- In a finding with potential antibioterror implications, a key protein's absence appears to slow the deadly attack of pneumonic plague, potentially making it susceptible to antibiotic treatment, according to researchers here.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- All health-care workers should be required to get a flu shot every year, unless they formally refuse in writing, the Infectious Diseases Society of America said today.

MAINZ, Germany -- A novel antifungal agent has emerged from two randomized trials as effective and safe in preventing invasive fungal disease after chemotherapy or treatment for graft-versus-host disease.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- When a rapid test catches the flu, it reduces inappropriate use of antibiotics in adults, according to researchers here.

BUENOS AIRES -- Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who also had parasitic worm infections had significantly better clinical courses than non-infected MS patients, investigators here found on a small study.

PITTSBURGH -- Small children with persistent middle-ear effusion who did not get immediate insertion of tympanostomy tubes developed as well as peers given rapid treatment when they grew to ages nine to 11 years, investigators here reported.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- The 1918-19 Spanish flu may have killed 50 million persons by unleashing an uncontrolled immune response that fatally damaged lung tissue, according to researchers here.

ATLANTA -- For the second year in a row, the absolute number of cancer deaths edged downward in the United States, the American Cancer Society said today.