Two Cases of Group A Streptococcus-Induced Right Empyema: Rare Occurrences in Adult Medicine.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) empyema, though rare in adults, poses serious clinical challenges. We present two cases of GAS-induced right empyema in immunocompetent patients. Case 1 involved a 45-year-old female Chinese healthcare worker with persistent pleural effusion despite antibiotic therapy. GAS was isolated from her sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage, necessitating a treatment shift to clindamycin and co-amoxiclav. Case 2 featured a 55-year-old Filipino domestic helper exhibiting right lower chest consolidation and effusion. Thoracocentesis confirmed empyema, prompting intrapleural fibrinolytic administration. Both cases highlight the diagnostic complexity and therapeutic intricacies of adult GAS empyema, underscoring the importance of early recognition and tailored management strategies for optimal patient outcomes.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and the Omicron Variant of COVID-19 Prognosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients infected with the Omicron variant. The primary objective was to determine if COVID-19 patients with COPD had higher mortality rates compared to those without COPD. Secondary objectives included assessing the risk of respiratory failure, hospital stay length, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and oxygen requirements in COPD patients with COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 2761 COVID-19 patients admitted to the Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, between January 1 and June 30, 2022. Among them, 7.4% (n = 205) had COPD. Demographic and clinical data, including vaccination status and comorbidities, were collected. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality, and secondary outcomes included respiratory support requirement, hospital stay length, and ICU admission. Logistic regression analyses were conducted, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: COPD did not independently increase the risk of COVID-19 mortality after adjusting for confounders. Instead, older age, male sex, incomplete vaccination, long-term oxygen therapy use, and specific comorbidities were identified as significant predictors of 30-day mortality. COPD patients were more likely to require oxygen and noninvasive ventilation, but there were no significant differences in other secondary outcomes compared to non-COPD patients. CONCLUSION: COPD itself was not an independent risk factor for COVID-19 mortality. Age, sex, vaccination status, comorbidities, and long-term oxygen therapy use were important predictors of mortality. These findings underscore the importance of considering multiple factors when assessing the impact of COPD on COVID-19 prognosis, particularly with the Omicron variant.

A Single Lung Abscess Caused by Panton-Valentine Leukocidin-Producing Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

This case report presents a rare occurrence of a single lung abscess caused by Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-producing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a 38-year-old immunocompetent man. The patient, of Southeast Asian origin, presented with symptoms of fever, chest pain, cough, and shortness of breath following a recent flu-like illness. Imaging indicated a cavitary lung lesion in the left lower lobe, suggestive of a lung abscess. Initial antibiotic treatment failed, and drainage of the abscess confirmed MRSA with the PVL gene, indicating a community-acquired MRSA infection. The patient received intravenous vancomycin followed by oral linezolid, leading to the resolution of the abscess. Contact tracing and decolonization measures were implemented. This case highlights the importance of considering PVL-producing S. aureus as a potential pathogen in severe necrotizing pneumonia or sepsis and underscores the need for prompt diagnosis, appropriate antibiotic therapy, and infection control measures in managing such infections.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease following SARS-CoV-2 infection: A rare disease with increased incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease (KFD), also known as Kikuchi disease or Kikuchi histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, is a rare and self-limiting condition characterized by cervical lymphadenopathy and fever, primarily affecting young Asian adults. The aetiology of KFD remains unknown, although various infectious agents have been suggested as potential triggers. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of post-COVID-19 KFD and post-COVID-19 vaccine KFD have been reported. In this article, we present the first case of post-COVID-19 KFD in Hong Kong. A 24-year-old man developed fever and painful neck swelling 1 month after recovering from COVID-19. Diagnostic evaluation, including ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), confirmed the diagnosis of KFD. The patient's symptoms resolved spontaneously with supportive care. This case underscores the importance of considering KFD as a potential differential diagnosis in patients presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy and fever following COVID-19 recovery or vaccination.

A case series of three patients with histologically proven post COVID-19 organizing pneumonia.

Organizing pneumonia, a form of interstitial lung disease, may occur in patients who have recovered from COVID-19. In this article, we report three cases of post COVID-19 organizing pneumonia, proven histologically with transbronchial biopsies showing fibroblastic plugs in the alveolar spaces. Our patients received a range of 86-166 days of continuous corticosteroid therapy and all of them made excellent recovery.

A rare case of melioidosis presenting as pericarditis and pneumonia in a patient with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus.

Melioidosis is a rare but often fatal tropical infection caused by gram-negative bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei. It most commonly manifests as pneumonia and rarely presents as pericarditis. Melioidosis can be difficult to diagnose because of its diverse clinical manifestation and close resemblance to bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas. We report a rare case of melioidosis presenting as pericarditis and pneumonia in a 61-year-old male patient with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. He was initially misdiagnosed with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and later treated empirically as tuberculosis pericarditis for 2 months, before reaching the diagnosis of melioidosis.

Use of high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy for patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 outside intensive care setting.

Background: In early 2022, there was a sudden surge of patients infected by the Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Hong Kong (HK), resulting in 9,163 deaths as of 29 May 2022. Many of the local population had not been vaccinated before this wave. The number of patients who developed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related respiratory failure outnumbered the capacity of intensive care unit (ICU) beds. Some of these patients had to be supported with high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy outside ICU setting. HK was in crisis situation. The primary objective of this study is to assess the 28-day mortality of this group of patients. The secondary objective is to explore any predictors of non-survivors to help clinical decision-making in future crisis. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study of patients suffering from COVID-19 related respiratory failure who received HFNC therapy in general medical wards of two hospitals during the period of 17 Mar to 30 Apr 2022. Survival and risk factors were reviewed. Results: Forty-nine patients were recruited. Twenty-six patients (53%) survived at 28-day after initiation of HFNC support. Three clinical parameters were found to be significantly associated with mortality at 28-day: (I) SpO2/FiO2 (SF) ratio <160 at 48 hours; (II) SF ratio <191 at 72 hours; (III) serial SF ratio at 48 or 72 hours showing no improvement over that at the time of initiation of HFNC therapy. Conclusions: Use of HFNC outside ICU setting showed benefit to patients suffering from COVID-19 related acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF). Serial SF ratio monitoring at 48 and 72 hours after therapy initiation might serve as predictors of outcome and thus guide clinical decision-making for medical resource allocation in outbreak situation.

First reported case of late recurrence of pulmonary mucormycosis in a renal transplant recipient with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus.

Pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) is a rare, life-threatening fungal infection usually affecting immunocompromised patients. Its incidence is rising, with a recent outbreak associated with COVID-19 co-infection. Amphotericin B along with early surgery are considered the standard treatment. Recurrence has been reported in patients without adequate treatment and without permanent reversal of predisposing factors. We report a case of late recurrence of PM in a renal transplant recipient. In 2012, he was diagnosed with PM. Imaging at the time showed a lingular mass. He was treated with antifungal for 1 year until complete radiological resolution. Surgical intervention was considered but no further follow-up action was taken. In 2020, he presented with fever and haemoptysis. Imaging again showed a lingular mass, which was confirmed to be PM by bronchoscopic lung biopsy. This case highlights the importance of secondary antifungal prophylaxis for PM if permanent reversal of immunosuppression is not possible.