Prion Disease After COVID-19: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Prion disease (PrD) is one of the rapidly progressive dementias. It typically requires several diagnostic criteria to fulfill a probable diagnosis, as definite diagnosis is based on isolated brain biopsy. There has been much debate on a possible infectious etiology of PrD. Viral infections are commonly pathologic in most neurodegenerative conditions. In PrD, misfolded proteins can be contagious and act as infective proteins, regardless of the pathologic agent. There is evidence that COVID-19 can result in neurologic manifestations, and neurodegeneration has been reported in the literature. There are several case reports describing parkinsonism after COVID-19, with Parkinson's disease in particular noted in COVID-19. Few cases of PrD were reported after COVID-19 infection. We identified 1 case of PrD in the setting of COVID-19 at our hospital. CASE REPORT We report the case of a 62-year-old man admitted to Mount Sinai Queens Hospital Center, who presented with rapidly progressive dementia along with difficulty walking and myoclonus. All workup results were negative. He underwent MRI brain, but results were not revealing. Due to the high clinical suspicion, CSF protein 14-3-3 testing was ordered and was positive. Clinically, he experienced worsening neurological function after having been COVID-19-positive on admission. The case fulfilled the probable diagnostic criteria for diagnosing PrD. The patient continued to deteriorate and died due to the rapid progression of his condition. CONCLUSIONS Our case demonstrates the potential correlation of COVID with neurodegenerative conditions, especially prion disorders. While such cases are highly likely to be due to COVID-19, there is no definite evidence beyond coincidental findings. Future studies might be required to establish this correlation.

Moyamoya Disease and Steno-Occlusive Disease in a Young Stroke Patient: A Case Report.

Moyamoya disease is a rare cerebrovascular disorder characterized by progressive stenosis and occlusion of the intracranial arteries, resulting in the formation of collateral vessels. We present a case of a 24-year-old South Asian female with no prior medical history who presented with persistent headaches, right-hand numbness and pain, and global aphasia. Imaging revealed severe steno-occlusive disease involving the left internal carotid artery terminus, the proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA), and the anterior cerebral artery. The patient underwent a hemicraniectomy due to malignant MCA syndrome and was prescribed aspirin and fluoxetine. Further evaluation with a cerebral angiogram revealed severe steno-occlusive disease involving the left internal carotid artery terminus, the proximal middle cerebral artery, and the anterior cerebral artery. The patient had Moyamoya disease. This case emphasizes the necessity of including Moyamoya disease in the differential diagnosis, as it can result in serious neurological impairments.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus vs. Mixed Connective Tissue Disease Disguised As Scabies.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that involves numerous body systems and may initially present as a malar or discoid rash. When there are features of other autoimmune disorders present, such as scleroderma or polymyositis, the term mixed connective tissue disorder (MCTD) may be used. The current literature illustrates that the diagnostic criteria for MCTD are unclear. Additionally, the literature presents cases of scabies mimicking the presentation of various autoimmune disorders with cutaneous manifestations. We introduce a case of a young African American female who developed a pruritic rash on her face, abdomen, hands, and scalp. An initial diagnosis of scabies was made, however, failed to improve after a course of permethrin 5% topical cream. Subsequently, she was hospitalized, and diagnosed with pancytopenia, cardiomyopathy, microscopic hematuria and trace proteinuria. Systemic lupus erythematosus/scleroderma overlap syndrome was later confirmed by serologic testing. The patient was started on corticosteroids, with resultant improvement in her symptoms and laboratory findings.

A Rare Case of an Exploratory Laparotomy to Treat a Liver Abscess Secondary to Foreign Body Ingestion.

A 49-year-old female presented to the hospital with complaints of generalized weakness, subjective fevers, and chills. In the emergency department (ED), she was found to be hypotensive and tachycardic and met the sepsis criteria. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis (CT A/P) with contrast revealed a liver abscess and a foreign body (FB) that was suspected to be the cause of the liver abscess. Of note, the patient had undergone a recent dental procedure due to an infected root canal, which had involved a dental screw. The patient was uncertain whether the dental screw had been removed, but she felt as though it was no longer there. At this time, the clinical suspicion was high for FB secondary to this dental procedure. The patient underwent interventional radiology (IR)-guided liver abscess drainage and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for the evaluation of the FB. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was performed, but no evidence of the FB was found. This warranted an exploratory laparotomy (EL) to ensure the successful removal of the FB. Upon gross visualization by surgery, the FB was revealed to be a bone that the patient did not recall ingesting. However, surgical pathology evaluation revealed that the FB was actually a plastic stick. This rare case highlights the clinical approach to FB ingestion when complicated by liver abscess, as well as successful treatment with EL as opposed to laparoscopy which is the procedure of choice.

Heroin-Induced Leukoencephalopathy.

Heroin-induced leukoencephalopathy (HLE) is a rare but potentially debilitating and sometimes fatal neurological disorder. Despite the widely practiced heroin use via different routes and modalities, the syndrome is said to be rare and mostly associated with inhaling rather than injecting or snorting practices. We reviewed the literature to address the latest diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic measures related to the condition. Here, we present a case of a 35-year-old male who admitted to inhaling heroin 18 days ago and has been experiencing ongoing neurological symptoms for the past 17 days. Imaging was consistent with extensive white matter disease at multiple levels and different anatomical regions. Although there is no known cure for HLE, the patient benefited, somewhat, from antioxidants and physical rehabilitation.

Rhabdomyolysis Secondary to Hypothyroidism: Report of a Case.

Rhabdomyolysis has many causes; however, hypothyroidism is a rare cause of such a condition. Usually, management is similar in many cases, but some exceptions do exist, especially in the case of hypothyroidism. Thus, we reviewed the literature to investigate further precipitant factors, clinical presentations, complications, management, and prognoses. We report a 19-year-old male with a history of hypothyroidism who was brought in for questionable suicidal ideation. Although asymptomatic, he was found to have an acute kidney injury (AKI). Further investigations revealed significantly elevated levels of creatine kinase (CK) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the setting of medication non-compliance. Management with intravenous (IV) fluids and thyroid hormone replacement resulted in an improvement in AKI and CK levels.

Onset of Ketosis-Prone Diabetes in the Setting of COVID-19 Infection.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is typically associated with type I diabetes mellitus, but it can be associated with type II diabetes mellitus under the conditions of extreme stress or as a presenting manifestation of ketosis-prone type II diabetes mellitus. A 38-year-old prediabetic male presented to the emergency room with hyperglycemia six weeks after recovery from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Laboratory results showed severe hyperglycemia, metabolic acidosis, positive ketones in urine and blood, and elevated fasting C- peptide level. COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was negative, and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies were positive. The workup was completely unremarkable for acute infection. Hemoglobin A1C increased from 6.1% to 10.8% within six weeks. The mechanism by which COVID-19 infection may trigger the onset of full-blown diabetes mellitus remains unknown. Viral infection may cause the direct destruction of pancreatic beta cells or trigger the changes in the body that induce the state of insulin resistance. Antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection may cross-react or interfere with the functioning of endogenous insulin. The association between type II diabetes and COVID-19 infections needs additional investigations to ascertain the exact mechanism by which COVID-19 infection triggers the onset of full-blown diabetes mellitus.

Thrombocytopenia Secondary to Herpes Simplex Virus-2 Infection Successfully Treated by Acyclovir.

Thrombocytopenia is a common clinical condition associated with a wide variety of clinical conditions including infections, malignancy, medications, liver disorder, and autoimmune conditions, etc. The association between thrombocytopenia and herpes simplex virus (HSV) is reported only once in a case report dating back to 1978. We report a case of a 66-year-old female with generalized weakness, mechanical fall, genital ulcerations, and breast fold and genital area skin redness, warmth, and mild tenderness. Initial labs showed mild leukocytosis, normal platelet count, mild lactic acidosis, and urine analysis suggestive of urinary tract infection. The patient was started on broad-spectrum antibiotics. During the course of hospitalization, the patient developed severe thrombocytopenia with platelet counts dropping less than 40000/µL (normal range: 150,000-450,000/µL), and genital pain and ulceration worsened. The genital swab was sent which came back positive for the HSV-2 virus. Soon after the start of acyclovir for HSV-2 infection, the genital pain and ulceration improved and platelet counts gradually increased to 157,000/µL. Other causes of thrombocytopenia such as sepsis, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, consumptive coagulopathy, medication-induced thrombocytopenia, immune thrombocytopenia, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura were ruled out.

Gut microbiota density influences host physiology and is shaped by host and microbial factors.

To identify factors that regulate gut microbiota density and the impact of varied microbiota density on health, we assayed this fundamental ecosystem property in fecal samples across mammals, human disease, and therapeutic interventions. Physiologic features of the host (carrying capacity) and the fitness of the gut microbiota shape microbiota density. Therapeutic manipulation of microbiota density in mice altered host metabolic and immune homeostasis. In humans, gut microbiota density was reduced in Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. The gut microbiota in recurrent Clostridium difficile infection had lower density and reduced fitness that were restored by fecal microbiota transplantation. Understanding the interplay between microbiota and disease in terms of microbiota density, host carrying capacity, and microbiota fitness provide new insights into microbiome structure and microbiome targeted therapeutics. Editorial note: This article has been through an editorial process in which the authors decide how to respond to the issues raised during peer review. The Reviewing Editor's assessment is that all the issues have been addressed (see decision letter).