Pseudomonas and aspergillus symbiotic coinfections in a case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes mellitus.

Coinfection of Pseudomonas and Aspergillus has not been previously reported in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A middle-aged, thinly built woman (Body Mass Index: 18.1 kg/m²) who smokes bidi (a type of tobacco) and has a history of exposure to open log fires for cooking, has been suffering from COPD for the last 4 years. She has been taking inhaled betamethasone and tiotropium. Additionally, she had uncontrolled diabetes for a few months. She presented with fever, productive cough, shortness of breath and chest pain for 5 days. She required non-invasive ventilation support for type-2 respiratory failure. Chest X-ray and CT confirmed pneumonia, cavities and abscesses in both lungs. Repeated sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage confirmed coinfections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus fumigatus, respectively. Along with supportive therapy, she was treated with tablet levofloxacin and injection amikacin for 6 weeks based on culture sensitivity reports, and capsule itraconazole for 6 months. She recovered completely to her baseline COPD and diabetes status. This case study confirms that coinfections can occur in COPD and diabetes, highlighting the need for clinicians to be vigilant for the possibility of such symbiotic coinfections.

Oro-Pharyngeal Candidiasis in Two Dengue Patients.

Dengue, a prevalent arboviral disease, has witnessed a resurgence in India, with outbreaks frequently reported. However, dengue-associated oral (oro-pharyngeal) candidiasis (DAOC) was never reported. We present two severe dengue cases with oral/oro-pharyngeal pseudomembranous candidiasis. Case 1 of a young man without any comorbidities or abuse or immunosuppression presented with fever, headache, altered sensorium, throat pain on recovery, and laboratory reports confirmed dengue with leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and severe hepatic involvement with oro-pharyngeal candidiasis. Similarly, case 2 of a middle-aged man with a history of smoking and diabetes presented with fever, gum bleeding, and throat pain, later confirmed to be dengue NS1 positive with thrombocytopenia, and mild-moderate hepatic involvement along with oral-oro-pharyngeal candidiasis. Both cases showed improvement with conservative management and oral nystatin suspension. These cases prompt consideration of superadded candida infections in dengue patients, emphasizing the need for further study and clinical vigilance.