Complete Occlusion of Bilateral Internal Carotid Artery in a Marijuana Smoker: A Case Report.

Here we described a case of a young male who developed stroke attributable to heavy marijuana smoking. Although, instances of stroke due to cannabis smoking have been reported earlier, this case is distinctive due to the fact that the patient had bilateral complete occlusion of internal carotid artery (ICA) at a very early age. In view of studies that have correlated marijuana smoking to intracranial stenosis and atherogenesis, this case of bilateral ICA occlusion illustrates the severity and burden of the disease.

An Unsettled Debate About the Potential Role of Infection in Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis.

Association of infection with atherosclerosis is by no means new. Several sero-epidemiological and pathologic studies as well as animal models have shown a link between infection and atherosclerosis. Exciting discoveries in recent times related to role of inter-individual genetic variation in modulating inflammatory response to infection have reignited the enthusiasm in proving a causal link between infection and atherosclerosis. The purpose of this article was to review and analyze the available evidence linking infection with atherosclerosis.

Case of early-disseminated Rhizopus microsporus var. microsporus mucormycosis in a renal transplant patient.

Mucormycosis is a rare infection caused by the ubiquitous filamentous fungi of the order Mucorales and class Zygomycetes. These species are vasotropic, causing rapid onset of tissue infarctions and necrosis and subsequent thrombosis by invading vascular bed. The disease spectrum ranges from involvement of skin, sinuses, lung, and brain to disseminated and mostly fatal infections, especially in immunocompromised hosts. Here, we present a case of a fatal disseminated mucormycosis in a 56-year-old female who had deceased donor renal allograft transplantation ~2 weeks prior to presentation. She presented with shortness of breath and dry cough. Despite being on broad-spectrum antibiotics/antifungals and proper management by transplant, infectious disease, and primary team, she died within 3 weeks of admission. Autopsy showed disseminated mucormycosis of lungs and thyroid. Disseminated infection within 2 weeks of solid organ transplantation in this patient was one of the rare features of mucormycosis.

West Nile virus infection and diplopia: a case report and review of literature.

West Nile virus is a neurotropic virus transmitted to humans via an infected mosquito bite. The increase in the incidences and fatalities of West Nile virus disease has made West Nile virus an important pathogen. Here we describe a case of a 65-year-old man with fever and diplopia presenting to the emergency department during a fall season and who was later diagnosed with West Nile virus infection. Diplopia is an uncommon manifestation of West Nile virus and recognition of the different modes of presentation, especially the uncommon ones like diplopia, will aid in the diagnosis of this emerging infectious disease.