Catfish spine injury to the hand with transient lymphangitis.

ABSTRACT: This case report describes a 45-year-old man whose left hand was skewered by a catfish spine while he was attempting to dehook the fish. Catfish spines can create punctures, lacerations, and foreign body injuries. The catfish spine generally is serrated, which can make removal difficult.

[Duodenal lymphangitis carcinomatosa: a rare endoscopic finding]. / Duodenale Lymphangiosis carcinomatosa: ein seltener endoskopischer Befund.

We herein report a case of a 67-year-old male with a rare endoscopic finding in the duodenum. Upon gastroscopic inspection, the duodenal mucosa showed lymphectasia. The histology of these lesions surprisingly described lymphangitis carcinomatosa of the duodenum, which has only been described in a few cases so far. As the prognosis of patients with this condition is poor, endoscopists should have a high degree of awareness of this finding.

Nocardia takedensis: a newly recognized pathogen responsible for skin and soft tissue infections.

Nocardia takedensis was first isolated in 2005, from soil in Japan. We report here two cases of lymphangitis in France (2012-2017) caused by N. takedensis both occurring after skin injury while gardening, which enabled its inoculation. The two patients were immunocompromised and successfully treated by an antimicrobial agent active on the isolated strain, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for patient one and patient two, respectively. Our study along with previous ones supports the idea of a newly recognized cutaneous opportunistic pathogen and reinforces the recommendation of using gloves during soil exposure for immunocompromised patients. Lastly, according to data found in the literature, we would recommend trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole as an efficient empirical antibiotic therapy in case of cutaneous infection caused by N. takedensis.

A case report and review of lymphocutaneous nocardiosis caused by Nocardia brasiliensis reported in China.

Primary cutaneous nocardiosis caused by Nocardia brasiliensis is an uncommon disease. The present authors report a Chinese woman presented with lymphocutaneous nocardiosis caused by N. brasiliensis. The lesion begin with her right hand after an unknown insect sting and evolved rapidly and formed painful erythema and two subcutaneous nodules and abscesses on her right forearm in 5 days. N. brasiliensis was isolated from pustule and identified by gene sequencing. The patient received 2 weeks of combination therapy contained infusion of amoxilin potassioum clavinet and oral TMP/SMX and followed by a single therapy of oral TMP/SMX for 1 month and got a marked improvement. The present authors reviewed a case of lymphocutaneous nocardiosis caused by N. brasiliensis reported in China.

Case report: palmar herpetic whitlow and forearm lymphangitis in a 10-year-old female.

BACKGROUND: Herpetic whitlow is a viral infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 or 2, and occurs in the pediatric population primarily on the fingers and toes due to autoinoculation from oral secretions. Because of this cited prevalence, other locations of herpetic whitlow may go unrecognized. CASE PRESENTATION: We present an atypical presentation of palmar herpetic whitlow with delayed recognition and associated viral lymphangitis. The patient presented as a transfer from an outside hospital with a progressive, three-day history of a suspected left hand abscess preceded by left hand pain and itching. She was initially evaluated by Orthopedic Surgery, who described an erythematous, edematous, tender, left palmar abscess with associated erythematous streaking up her forearm. The lesion was surgically managed with an incision and drainage. Wound cultures were obtained during which "minimal drainage" was noted. After admission to the General Pediatrics Hospital service, the lesion was noted to appear vesicular and subsequently obtained PCR samples were positive for HSV type 1, confirming her diagnosis of herpetic whitlow. Although she remained afebrile with negative wound cultures throughout her hospitalization, a secondary bacterial infection could not be conclusively excluded due to the accompanying lymphangitis. Thus, she was discharged with oral antibiotics and anticipatory guidance of potential recurrence of palmar lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Herpetic whitlow should be included in the differential diagnosis of palmar lesions that appear vesicular or abscess-like to ensure appropriate treatment. Additionally, these palmar lesions may present with associated lymphangitis without evidence of bacterial infection.

CELLULITIS: A mnemonic to increase accuracy of cellulitis diagnosis.

Cellulitis, a bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, is often misdiagnosed. Cellulitis accounts for a large number of all infectious disease-related hospitalizations in the U.S. Cellulitis can be challenging to diagnose since it lacks pathognomonic findings. We reviewed all articles on cellulitis within the last 20 years that included a statistical analysis, with odds ratios (OR), of specific clinical features of cellulitis. We then constructed a mnemonic encompassing the features with the highest odds ratios. Our mnemonic is CELLULITIS for cellulitis history, edema, local warmth, lymphangitis, unilateral, leukocytosis, injury, tender, instant onset, and systemic signs. The first characteristic has the highest OR and may be the easiest to recall: past episode(s) of cellulitis.

Development and Evaluation of a Molecular Diagnostic Method for Rapid Detection of Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum, the Causative Agent of Epizootic Lymphangitis, in Equine Clinical Samples.

Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum, the causative agent of epizootic lymphangitis (EZL), is endemic in parts of Africa. Diagnosis based on clinical signs and microscopy lacks specificity and is a barrier to further understanding this neglected disease. Here, a nested PCR method targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA operon was validated for application to equine clinical samples. Twenty-nine horses with signs of EZL from different climatic regions of Ethiopia were clinically examined. Blood samples and aspirates of pus from cutaneous nodules were taken, along with blood from a further 20 horses with no cutaneous EZL lesions. Among the 29 horses with suspected cases of EZL, H. capsulatum var. farciminosum was confirmed by extraction of DNA from pus and blood samples from 25 and 17 horses, respectively. Positive PCR results were also obtained with heat-inactivated pus (24 horses) and blood (23 horses) spotted onto Whatman FTA cards. Two positive results were obtained among blood samples from 20 horses that did not exhibit clinical signs of EZL. These are the first reports of the direct detection of H. capsulatum var. farciminosum in equine blood and at high frequency among horses exhibiting cutaneous lesions. The nested PCR outperformed conventional microscopic diagnosis, as characteristic yeast cells could be observed only in 14 pus samples. The presence of H. capsulatum var. farciminosum DNA was confirmed by sequencing the cloned PCR products, and while alignment of the ITS amplicons showed very little sequence variation, there was preliminary single nucleotide polymorphism-based evidence for the existence of two subgroups of H. capsulatum var. farciminosum This molecular diagnostic method now permits investigation of the epidemiology of EZL.

Staphylococcus aureus sporotrichoid lymphangitis without bacteremia in a transplant recipient.

Pyogenic sporotrichoid infections are rare. There are only 4 reports in the literature of Staphylococcus aureus presenting as sporotrichoid lymphangitis (also known as lymphocutaneous syndrome or nodular lymphangitis). We report the first case, to our knowledge, of S. aureus sporotrichoid infection without bacteremia in an immunocompromised organ transplant recipient.

Pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis in liver carcinoma: a rare case report and literature review.

Primary liver carcinoma is the most important malignant disease. The nodular metastatic foci of liver carcinoma are usually found in the lung, adrenal gland or abdomen after resection or transplantation. Pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis (PLC) accounts for approximately 6% to 8% of metastatic cancer in the lung. The occurrence of PLC is extremely rare in liver carcinoma. Herein we report the case of a patient with PLC after liver transplantation due to liver carcinoma. PLC was confirmed by clinical manifestations, imaging studies and cytologic examination of exfoliated cells in the pleural effusion.

Sclerosing lymphangitis of penis - literature review and report of 2 cases.

Sclerosing lymphangitis of the penis is a condition related to vigorous sexual activity, manifesting as an asymptomatic firm cord -like swelling around the coronal sulcus of the penis. Since, it is self-limiting, only reassurance along with abstinence from sexual activity are required. In addition to reporting two new cases, we review and discuss the medical literature for this condition.

Prevalence and risk factors for epizootic lymphangitis among equids in ethiopia during 2002-2023: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), particularly in Ethiopia, Epizootic Lymphangitis (EL) is the most prevalent fungal disease of equids, which causes significant economic losses as well as a decrease in equid populations. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis were designed to pool the results of individual studies and estimate the prevalence of EL among equids in Ethiopia. A systematic search of research articles on the prevalence and risk factors of EL among equids in Ethiopia was conducted in registers, databases, and other sources. Cochrane's Q, inverse variance (I2), sensitivity analysis, funnel plot, Begg's, and Egger's regression tests were used to check heterogeneity and publication bias. A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled burden of EL among equids. For this meta-analysis, a total of 7217 equids were included in the 14 eligible studies. The overall pooled prevalence of EL among equids in Ethiopia was 20.24% (95% CI: 16.27, 24.21). According to the subgroup analysis, the highest prevalence was observed in cart horses (20.98%), the Amhara region (21.46%), and studies conducted using sample sizes of 384 equids or greater (24.67%) and from 2002 to 2018 (25.52%) study periods. Harness-inflicted wounds, sharing stables or yards with harnesses, and the presence of preexisting wounds were identified as factors significantly associated with EL magnitude. Early diagnosis and proper medication, as well as implementing appropriate prevention and control measures, are necessary for the management of EL in equids.

Acute calcific tendinitis of the wrist.

BACKGROUND: Acute calcific tendinitis, a benign and self-limiting inflammatory condition commonly seen in the shoulder, is also described in many other tendons, including those in the hand and wrist. When involving the wrist, acute calcific tendinitis is often misdiagnosed and mistaken for infection. OBJECTIVE: We present this case to increase familiarity with this condition to avoid errors in diagnosis resulting in inappropriate treatment with antibiotics or even surgery. CASE REPORT: A 27-year-old man presented to the Emergency Department with a 2-week history of volar wrist pain, with sudden increase in pain associated with chills and new onset swelling and redness of the wrist. Plain radiographs showed characteristic soft-tissue calcification overlying the insertion of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon into the wrist. Treatment with ibuprofen and splinting resulted in complete symptom resolution. CONCLUSION: Acute calcific tendinitis is an important consideration in the differential diagnosis of acute wrist pain. Radiographs are helpful in confirming the diagnosis when symptoms and examination findings are characteristic.

[Lymphangitis-associated rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae]. / "Lymphangitis-associated rickettsiosis" due à Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae.

Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae was first isolated 20 years ago in Asia but has now been identified on three continents. Hyalomma spp. and Rhipicephalus pusillus ticks are vectors but only a small number of cases have been reported to date, mainly on the Mediterranean coast. This bacterium induces the lymphangitis-associated rickettsiosis, a still unfamiliar rickettsiosis that is mainly characterized by fever with a rope-like lymphangitis and/or lymphadenopathy and skin eschar occurring after tick bites. These features are especially evocative if they occur in spring. Sequellae are very rare and treatment with doxycycline is recommended.

Pulmonary lymphangitis carcinomatosis: A peculiar presentation clustering in MET-amplified gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The clinicopathological features of MET-amplified gastric cancer (GC) and real-world data on the efficacy of MET-targeted therapies remain unknown. Pulmonary lymphangitis carcinomatosis (PLC) is a peculiar manifestation of GC, whose management has not been thoroughly described. METHODS: This study analyzed patients diagnosed with MET-amplified GC or GC with PLC at any time point of the disease course from 2011 to 2021 in two centers. Clinicopathological features and survival outcomes of MET-amplified GC were analyzed. The clinical and molecular implications of GC with PLC were discussed. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients with MET-amplified GC and 20 patients with GC accompanied by PLC were finally enrolled for analysis (including 13 overlapped patients). GC with PLC was more common in female patients (p = 0.010), diagnosed at a younger age (p = 0.002), presented with a higher baseline ECOG PS (p = 0.016), and was more likely to develop lung metastasis (p < 0.001), and serous effusion (p = 0.026) than GC without PLC. Patients with primary MET-amplified GC had a worse prognosis than those with secondary MET-amplified GC (p = 0.005). The application of anti-MET therapy was associated with numerically prolonged survival, but the association was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). MET amplification was concentrated in patients with PLC, in which anti-MET therapies elicited a high response rate. CONCLUSIONS: MET-targeted therapies are efficacious in real-world populations with MET-amplified GC. Patients with PLC have distinct clinical and molecular features and might benefit from MET-targeted therapies.

Pulmonary tumour embolism and lymphangitis carcinomatosa: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary tumour embolism and lymphangitis carcinomatosa are complications of malignancy that may mimic the clinical presentation of pulmonary embolism. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 52-year-old male patient with acute-onset right ventricular strain and dyspnoea with elevated D-dimer and without signs of pulmonary embolism on computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) and ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy. The patient died eleven days after initial presentation. The diagnosis of pulmonary tumour embolism and lymphangitis carcinomatosa due to carcinoma of unknown origin was made post-mortem by immunohistochemical examination. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary tumour embolism and lymphangitis carcinomaosa are complications of malignancy and potential causes of acute right ventricular strain. Radiological signs are unspecific and the clinical course usually fatal. These differential diagnoses should be considered in patients with acute right ventricular strain, dyspnoea and positive D-dimer if there are no signs of pulmonary embolism on CTPA.

Pulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor coexisting with lymphangitis carcinomatosis: Mimicking metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma with nodular fasciitis-like stroma.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are uncommon; intermediate grade soft tissue tumors occurring in young individuals with an uncertain behaviour. The incidence of pulmonary lymphangitis carcinomatosis (PLC) is around 6-8% of all pulmonary metastases. However, PLC due to papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is very uncommon. We present a case of a 26-year-old male, who presented with a solitary left lung nodule on radiological scans. There was also a past history of thyroid surgery done two years back for PTC. Histology revealed a soft tissue tumor reminiscent of IMT. The periphery of the IMT nodule showed metastatic PTC in the form of extensive PLC. In view of this unusual histology, a diagnosis of PTC with nodular fasciitis-like stroma (PTC-NFS) was initially considered. However, molecular studies for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement confirmed the diagnosis of IMT. This case highlights the unusual occurrence of tumor-to-tumor metastasis causing diagnostic challenges and also the importance of molecular testing.