COVID-19-associated aspergillosis in a Brazilian referral centre: Diagnosis, risk factors and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation are at risk to develop invasive aspergillosis. To provide additional data regarding this intriguing entity, we conducted a retrospective study describing risk factors, radiology and prognosis of this emerging entity in a Brazilian referral centre. METHODS: This retrospective study included intubated (≥18 years) patients with COVID-19 admitted from April 2020 until July 2021 that had bronchoscopy to investigate pulmonary co-infections. COVID-19-associated aspergillosis (CAPA) was defined according to the 2020 European Confederation of Medical Mycology/International Society of Human and Animal Mycosis consensus criteria. The performance of tracheal aspirate (TA) cultures to diagnose CAPA were described, as well as the radiological findings, risk factors and outcomes. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (14/87, 16%) had probable CAPA (0.9 cases per 100 ICU admissions). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of TA for the diagnosis of CAPA were 85.7%, 73.1%, 46.2% and 95% respectively. Most of the radiological findings of CAPA were classified as typical of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (64.3%). The overall mortality rate of probable CAPA was 71.4%. Age was the only independent risk factor for CAPA [p = .03; odds ratio (OR) 1.072]. CAPA patients under renal replacement therapy (RRT) may have a higher risk for a fatal outcome (p = .053, hazard ratio 8.047). CONCLUSIONS: CAPA was a prevalent co-infection in our cohort of patients under mechanical ventilation. Older patients had a higher risk to develop CAPA, and a poor prognosis may be associated with RRT.

Antiviral effect of compounds derived from the seeds of Mammea americana and Tabernaemontana cymosa on Dengue and Chikungunya virus infections.

BACKGROUND: The transmission of Dengue virus (DENV) and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has increased worldwide, due in part to the lack of a specific antiviral treatment. For this reason, the search for compounds with antiviral potential, either as licensed drugs or in natural products, is a research priority. The objective of this study was to identify some of the compounds that are present in Mammea americana (M. americana) and Tabernaemontana cymosa (T. cymosa) plants and, subsequently, to evaluate their cytotoxicity in VERO cells and their potential antiviral effects on DENV and CHIKV infections in those same cells. METHODS: Dry ethanolic extracts of M. americana and T. cymosa seeds were subjected to open column chromatographic fractionation, leading to the identification of four compounds: two coumarins, derived from M. americana; and lupeol acetate and voacangine derived from T. cymosa.. The cytotoxicity of each compound was subsequently assessed by the MTT method (at concentrations from 400 to 6.25 µg/mL). Pre- and post-treatment antiviral assays were performed at non-toxic concentrations; the resulting DENV inhibition was evaluated by Real-Time PCR, and the CHIKV inhibition was tested by the plating method. The results were analyzed by means of statistical analysis. RESULTS: The compounds showed low toxicity at concentrations ≤ 200 µg/mL. The compounds coumarin A and coumarin B, which are derived from the M. americana plant, significantly inhibited infection with both viruses during the implementation of the two experimental strategies employed here (post-treatment with inhibition percentages greater than 50%, p < 0.01; and pre-treatment with percentages of inhibition greater than 40%, p < 0.01). However, the lupeol acetate and voacangine compounds, which were derived from the T. cymosa plant, only significantly inhibited the DENV infection during the post-treatment strategy (at inhibition percentages greater than 70%, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In vitro, the coumarins are capable of inhibiting infection by DENV and CHIKV (with inhibition percentages above 50% in different experimental strategies), which could indicate that these two compounds are potential antivirals for treating Dengue and Chikungunya fever. Additionally, lupeol acetate and voacangine efficiently inhibit infection with DENV, also turning them into promising antivirals for Dengue fever.

Cervical necrotizing fasciitis caused by oral cavity infection: a case report considering therapeutic approach and its morphofunctional implications / Fascitis necrosante cervical causada por infección de la cavidad oral. Reporte de un caso considerando el abordaje terapéutico y sus implicaciones morfofuncionales

SUMMARY: Cervical necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare complication of oral cavity infection with high morbi-mortality. Given its low prevalence, adequately reporting cases of NF, its therapeutic management, and associated morphofunctional modifications to the clinical and scientific community is pivotal. To that end, we herein describe a case of cervical NF in a 60-year-old patient with comorbidities and patient presented large, painful cervical swelling associated with a necrotic ulcer lesion in the anterior neck region. Intraoral examination indicated a periodontal abscess in the right mandibular area, while computed tomography indicated the lesion's extension from the right mandibular to the submandibular region. Following empirical intravenous antibiotic treatment, a broad surgical debridement was performed, and the foci of oral infection were removed. Debridement revealed communication between deep and superficial anatomical regions in the submandibular area, where we subsequently placed a Penrose drain. Biopsies showing acute inflammatory infiltrate associated with necrotic and hemorrhagic regions confirmed the diagnosis of NF. When an antibiogram revealed resistance to the empirical treatment, the antibiotic scheme was replaced with an adequate alternative. After a second debridement, we closed the defect with fascio-mucocutaneous advancement flaps with a lateral base while maintaining suction drainage. Having reacted positively, the patient was discharged 10 days after the operation. Despite an extensive morphofunctional change generated in the treated area, the patient showed no difficulties with breathing, phonation, swallowing, or mobilizing the area during control sessions. Altogether, this report contributes to the highly limited literature describing morphological aspects that can facilitate or delay the spread of infection or the morphofunctional disorders associated with the size and depth of surgical interventions for cervical NF, information that is relevant for the comprehensive, long-term prognosis of the treatment of NF.

La fascitis necrosante (FN) cervical es una rara complicación de una infección proveniente de la cavidad bucal asociada a una alta morbimortalidad. Por lo anterior, es fundamental informar a la comunidad clínica y científica los casos de FN, su manejo terapéutico y las modificaciones morfofuncionales asociadas. Se describe un caso de FN cervical en una paciente de 60 años quien presentó una gran tumefacción dolorosa asociada a una lesión ulcerosa necrótica en la región anterior del cuello. El examen intraoral mostró un absceso periodontal en el área mandibular derecha y la tomografía computarizada mostró la extensión de la lesión hacia la región submandibular. Tras el tratamiento antibiótico empírico, se realizó un desbridamiento quirúrgico extenso y se extirparon los focos de infección oral. El desbridamiento reveló comunicación entre las regiones anatómicas profundas y superficiales del área submandibular, donde se colocó un drenaje Penrose. Las biopsias mostraron un infiltrado inflamatorio agudo asociado con regiones necróticas y hemorrágicas, confirmando el diagnóstico de FN. El antibiograma reveló resistencia al tratamiento empírico, por lo que el esquema antibiótico se sustituyó. Tras un segundo desbridamiento, se cerró el defecto con colgajos de avance fascio-mucocutáneos de base lateral manteniendo drenaje aspirativo. El positivo progreso del paciente permitió su alta 10 días después. Aun cuando se generó una gran modificación morfofuncional en el área tratada, la paciente no presentó dificultades para respirar, hablar, deglutir o movilizar el área cervical intervenida durante las sesiones de control. Este informe contribuye a la limitada literatura que describe los aspectos morfológicos que pueden facilitar o retrasar la propagación de la FN y las consecuencias asociadas a los trastornos morfofuncionales provocadas por el tamaño y profundidad de las intervenciones quirúrgicas requeridas por la FN, información relevante para el pronóstico integral a largo plazo del tratamiento de la FN.

Rinosporidiosis en Costa Rica: revisión del tema e informe dell primer caso en nuestro país / Rhinosporidiosis in Costa Rica: review of the literature and report of the first Costa Rica care

Se hace una revisión de la rinosporidiosis. Además, se informa el primer caso en Costa Rica, diagnosticado en un paciente de 19 años de edad, vecino del cantón de Turrialba, a quien se le encontró un pólipo nasal con Rhinosporidium seeberi. Seis meses después del diagnóstico inicial, el paciente presentó recidiva