Foreign body aspiration and mucormycosis: a case report.

Over the course of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, numerous complications have been documented. In this report, we have detailed an unexpected complication of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection that occurred in a 73-year-old female patient who was simultaneously afflicted with mucormycosis and another unanticipated problem. Due to the lack of recovery of the patient after receiving mucormycosis treatment and continued fever, cough and hemoptysis, bronchoscopy was performed for her. During bronchoscopy, we encountered a foreign body that was the cause of the patient's fever, cough, and hemoptysis. Rigid bronchoscopy was performed and the foreign body was removed from the left main bronchus. The lack of a favorable treatment response after administering antifungal therapy suggested that the presence of a foreign body could potentially act as an underlying nidus, thus influencing the suboptimal therapeutic outcome. Mucormycosis is usually characterized by distinct radiological patterns. However, this case did not present predictable imaging findings, further complicating the diagnostic process associated with this invasive fungal infection.

Prevalence of influenza A/H3N2 virus in northern Iran from 2011 to 2013.

BACKGROUND: Influenza A virus is the most virulent human pathogen and causes the most serious problem. Having epidemiological knowledge about this disease is important. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of influenza A/H3N2 virus infection in northern Iran from 2011 to 2013 using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study 57 samples were collected from patients with influenza-like illness (T≥ 38 °C and cough or sore throat. Influenza-RNA was extracted from the samples using PureLink(TM) Viral RNA/DNA Kit. RT-PCR was one using SuperScript III Platinum, Quantitive Real Time PCR system from invitrogen with a specific type of primers and probs. All samples were examined in the Influenza laboratory of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 38.2±14.5 year, 278 (48.69%) were males and 293 (51.31%) females. A total number of 201 patients (35.2%) were diagnosed as influenza A1 H3 N2 infection. CONCLUSION: The results show that the prevalence of A/H3N2 in the North of Iran is considerable and needs more attention for preventive measures.