A large outbreak of typhoid fever associated with a high rate of intestinal perforation in Kasese District, Uganda, 2008-2009.

BACKGROUND: Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (Salmonella Typhi) causes an estimated 22 million typhoid fever cases and 216 000 deaths annually worldwide. In Africa, the lack of laboratory diagnostic capacity limits the ability to recognize endemic typhoid fever and to detect outbreaks. We report a large laboratory-confirmed outbreak of typhoid fever in Uganda with a high proportion of intestinal perforations (IPs). METHODS: A suspected case of typhoid fever was defined as fever and abdominal pain in a person with either vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, headache, weakness, arthralgia, poor response to antimalarial medications, or IP. From March 4, 2009 to April 17, 2009, specimens for blood and stool cultures and serology were collected from suspected cases. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were performed on Salmonella Typhi isolates. Surgical specimens from patients with IP were examined. A community survey was conducted to characterize the extent of the outbreak. RESULTS: From December 27, 2007 to July 30, 2009, 577 cases, 289 hospitalizations, 249 IPs, and 47 deaths from typhoid fever occurred; Salmonella Typhi was isolated from 27 (33%) of 81 patients. Isolates demonstrated multiple PFGE patterns and uniform susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. Surgical specimens from 30 patients were consistent with typhoid fever. Estimated typhoid fever incidence in the community survey was 8092 cases per 100 000 persons. CONCLUSIONS: This typhoid fever outbreak was detected because of an elevated number of IPs. Underreporting of milder illnesses and delayed and inadequate antimicrobial treatment contributed to the high perforation rate. Enhancing laboratory capacity for detection is critical to improving typhoid fever control.

Intravascular Thrombolysis Followed by Stenting as Management of Retrohepatic Inferior Vena Caval Thrombosis due to a Twist in the Inferior Vena Cava after Deceased Donor Liver Transplant.

Inferior vena cava (IVC) occlusion due to acute thrombosis is a rare but important vascular complication after deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) that has been reported to occur up to 2% of recipients in a posttransplant period. This may be caused by direct instrumentation of the IVC stenosis at the anastomotic site, haematoma, and rarely by a twist in the retrohepatic IVC. The location of the thrombus, the timing after the surgery, and associated hemodynamic disturbances define the outcome of the patient. Without prompt diagnosis and timely intervention, the outcome after IVC thrombosis is usually dismal. Herein, we report a rare case of near-complete occlusion of the IVC secondary to intracaval thrombosis after DDLT associated with twisting of the IVC at the suprahepatic anastomosis which was successfully managed by intravascular thrombolysis and stenting.

A Case of a 4-Year-Old Boy with a Mesenteric Chylous Cyst Infected with Histoplasma capsulatum.

Mesenteric cysts are uncommon entities and chyle- (lymph-) containing cysts are the rarest of this group. This is a case report of a 4-year-old boy with a mesenteric chylous cyst who was later found to have Histoplasma capsulatum infection.