Actinomyces neuii Causing Right-Sided Infective Endocarditis: A Case-Based Literature Review.

Actinomyces neuii (also known as Winkia neuii nowadays), quite different from its genus,is a facultatively anaerobic organism that rarely causes human infections.Like the rest of its genus, it usually has a good prognosis. In this case report, we present an interesting case of a middle-aged female who presented to the emergency department (ED) with fever and dyspnea, eventually diagnosed with infective endocarditis (IE) caused by A. neuii. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first reported case of A. neuii causing right-sided infective endocarditis in a middle-aged female with no residual or prosthetic valvular disease.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus Infective Endocarditis in an Elderly Male.

Lactobacilli are facultative anaerobic, gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria found in the normal flora of the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts. This report presents a case of Lactobacillus rhamnosus infective endocarditis and provides echocardiographic evidence of its pathogenic potential. Furthermore, we provide an account of the first successful treatment with daptomycin to our knowledge. Additionally, we examine the limited literature available on this microbiological entity and attempt to relate this data to our case.

Anticoccidial activity of herbal complex in broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria tenella.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anticoccidial effect of different concentrations of the herbal complex of 4 plants (leaves of Azadirachta indica and Nicotiana tabacum, flowers of Calotropis procera and seeds of Trachyspermum ammi) in broiler chickens in comparison with amprolium anticoccidial. Three concentrations (2 g, 4 g and 6 g) of herbal complex were given to the experimental groups once a day and amprolium (at the dose rate of 125 ppm) was given orally in drinking water from the 14th to the 21st days of age. One group was kept as infected, non-medicated control and one as non-infected, non-medicated control. All groups were inoculated orally with 75,000 sporulated oocysts on the 14th day of age except the non-infected, non-medicated control. Among herbal complex medicated groups, the maximum anticoccidial effect was seen in the group medicated with 6 g herbal complex followed by 4 g and 2 g herbal complex medicated groups. Treatment with 6 g of the herbal complex significantly reduced the negative performance and pathogenic effects associated with Eimeria tenella challenge at a level that was comparable with amprolium when using a largely susceptible recent field isolate. In summary, concentration-dependent anticoccidial activity of the studied herbal complex suggests its use as an alternative anticoccidial agent to chemotherapeutic drugs for Eimeria tenella control.

Acute Liver Injury Induced by Synthetic Cannabinoid Abuse.

Synthetic cannabinoid abuse can manifest with an array of unpredictable reactions ranging from sedation to hallucinations, psychosis, and seizures. Acute liver injury associated with the synthetic cannabinoid use is a rare complication. We present a case of a 22-year-old homeless male presented with abdominal pain and vomiting. He admitted regular synthetic cannabinoid use, and binge alcohol use once a week. Physical examination was remarkable only for mild icterus. The laboratory result shows abnormal liver functions tests. Viral, autoimmune, metabolic and other toxic etiologies of liver injury were ruled out. The acute liver injury was deemed to be secondary to synthetic cannabinoids toxicity. Spice-induced liver injury remains a diagnosis of exclusion after all other identifiable causes ruled out. Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for synthetic cannabinoid abuse in a patient with acute hepatotoxicity who had a history of polysubstance abuse.