Interferon-free hepatitis C treatment increases a surrogate of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in Black veterans living with HIV.

Veterans living with HIV (VLWH) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection have an exacerbated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is unknown if HCV cure reduces CVD risk in this population. We evaluated changes in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), as a surrogate of CVD risk, 18 months after HCV cure in VLWH. We found significant increases in LDL in VLWH with advanced fibrosis, potentially increasing CVD risk. Lower LDL thresholds to initiate lipid-lowering therapies in VLWH after HCV cure may be warranted.

Cutaneous Myiasis in Rural Haiti.

Background: Myiasis is a disease caused by the infestation of human tissue by the larval stage of various flies. It has been identified in sub-Saharan Africa and in tropical parts of the Americas. Cases have also been identified among travelers returning to the United States. Infestations may involve any part of the body, including the scalp, and open wounds may become infected with these larvae. The primary cause of wound myiasis in the western hemisphere is Cochliomyia hominivorax. Case Report: We present a case of wound myiasis in an adult Haitian male with a persistent wound for 2 years. To our knowledge, only 1 other report of wound myiasis in Haiti caused by C hominivorax has been published. Conclusion: Wound myiasis can occur in many tropical regions of the world, including Haiti. Because of the prevalence of global travel, clinicians should be familiar with the condition's diagnosis and management.

Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus cereus LA2007, a Human-Pathogenic Isolate Harboring Anthrax-Like Plasmids.

We present the genome sequence of Bacillus cereus LA2007, a strain isolated in 2007 from a fatal pneumonia case in Louisiana. Sequence-based genome analysis revealed that LA2007 carries a plasmid highly similar to Bacillus anthracis pXO1, including the genes responsible for the production and regulation of anthrax toxin.