Evaluation of hepatic injury in chronic hepatitis B and C using APRI and FIB-4 indices compared to fibroscan results.

Background: Hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C viruses (HCV) are significant causes of liver disease worldwide. Liver fibrosis (LF) is a complication of chronic liver damage caused by HBV and HCV due to our limited knowledge comparing the diagnostic performance of platelet to aspartate aminotransferase ratio index (APRI) and fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index with fibroscan. Methods: This study evaluated liver damage in HBV and HCV using APRI, FIB-4, and fibroscan indices. This retrospective cohort descriptive-analytical study was conducted on patients with HBV and HCV. This study uses laboratory results and imaging to investigate liver damage in chronic HBV and HCV patients. APRI and FIB-4 were computed based on laboratory results. Results: A total of 185 patients (82 hepatitis B and 103 hepatitis C) were included in the study. Thirteen patients had liver cirrhosis. There was no statistically significant difference between the fibroscan results in the two groups (P=0.99). The HBV group's mean APRI and FIB-4 were lower than HCV, but no significant difference was observed (P>0.05). Our results in HBV and HCV patients showed that APRI and FIB-4 accomplished well anticipating cirrhosis with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.771-0.845 and 0.871-0.910, respectively. Conclusion: Fibroscan is a powerful tool superior to APRI and FIB-4 in predicting LF and cirrhosis. Nevertheless, APRI and FIB-4 are inexpensive and non-invasive indicators with acceptable efficacy in predicting advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. However, these two measures are not reliable in low-grade fibrosis.

Disseminated Strongyloidiasis in an Iranian Immunocompromised Patient: A Case Report.

Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted helminth (STH) widespread in various part of the world. A 78-yr-old peasant diabetic female from Mazandaran Province northern Iran, was admitted to Infection Department of the Razi Hospital in city of Qaemshahr, north of Iran complaining about abdominal skin rash, pruritus, itching, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, dysuria and cough. This patient had cutaneous migration effects of S. stercoralis larvae in her abdominal skin (larva currents and urticaria). Lung CT without contrast demonstrate s bilateral diffuse ground glass opacity draws attention. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed gastro esophageal reflux with antral gastritis. Duodenal endoscopy showed unusual mucosa and a biopsy from it sent to the pathology laboratory. Histopathology of duodenal bulb and duodenum biopsy showed mild villous atrophy and S. stercoralis infection. The patient was treated with albendazole and clinical sings improved completely after treatment. Strongyloidiasis should be carefully considered by clinicians who practice in endemic areas. Clinicians must keep a high level of skepticism for patients from endemic area.

Resistance Pattern of Antibiotics in Patient Underwent Open Heart Surgery With Nosocomial Infection in North of Iran.

BACKGROUND: Patients who undergo cardiac surgery appear to be at increased risk for the development of Nosocomial infections (NIs). The development of antibiotic-resistant infections has been associated with significantly greater hospital mortality rates compared to similar infections caused by antibiotic-sensitive pathogens. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is survey of Nis and antibiotic resistance patterns of causative bacteria among patients who underwent open heart surgery in the north of Iran during a 2-year period between September 2012 and September 2014. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study we evaluated 187 patients that underwent open heart surgery with NIs. Demographic feature, clinical characteristics and risk factors of each infection were recorded. The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method according to the standard protocol of Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Detection of Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria was performed by the double-disk synergy (DDS) test; also Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRSA) strains were identified by MRSA Screen Agar. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS software (ver. 16) and, descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: Out Of total of 2253 hospitalized patients who underwent open heart surgery, 187(5.05%) patients had NIs. 51.9% of the patients were female. The rates of surgical site infection (SSI), respiratory tract infection, endocarditis, Urinary tract infection (UTI), blood Infection and mediastinitis were 27.80, 25.66%, 17.64, 17.11% 8.55% and 3.20% respectively. E.coli and S.aureus were the most causative agents of NIs. The rate of ESBL-producing bacteria was 14.28- 71.42% among enterobacteriaceae and the rate of MRSA was 54.2% among S.aureus strains. All isolated Acinetobacter.spp were Multi-drug resistance (MDR). CONCLUSIONS: We showed that the rate of NIs among these high-risk patients was in the average level. But the emergence of MRSA and ESBL bacteria is increasing in our region.

Co-infection of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and cutaneous Fusarium infection in a patient with pyoderma gangrenosum.

We report an unusual case of co-infection of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) and fusarial skin infection in a patient with classic pyoderma gangrenosum with unknown causes, which were previously controlled with oral prednisolone, cyclosporine. The diagnosis was made on direct microscopy and culture of endobronchial washing, bronchoalveolar lavage and skin lesion biopsy. The treatment failed, and the patient expired 12 days following hospitalization. This report highlights the rarity of coexistence of IPA and a chronic fusarial skin infection and thereby reinforcing the physician's attention toward the possibility of invasive fungal infection in the immunosuppressed patients.

Fungal Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis by Candida parapsilosis: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Fungal prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is rare but serious complication of valve replacement surgery. Candida species, particularly Candida albicans is the most common isolated pathogen in fungal PVE (1-6%of cases). CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a 35-year-old woman who underwent mechanical mitral valve replacement about 3 years ago. She was admitted with neurological symptoms and later with dyspnea and hypotension. Transesophageal echocardiography showed large and mobile prosthetic valve vegetation. She underwent mitral valve surgery. The explanted valve and vegetation revealed lots of budding yeasts and the isolated yeast was identified as C. parapsilosis. Amphotericin B and broad spectrum antibiotic were started immediately. Unfortunately, the patient died two days after surgery, due to sepsis probably related to the candidemia. CONCLUSIONS: Fungal endocarditis is uncommon infection, but it is a serious problem in patients with prosthetic valve. Fungal PVE can occur years after the surgery, thus long-term follow-up is essential.