Encephalomyelitis in a patient with monkeypox: an unusual complication.

A new outbreak of monkeypox has been reported worldwide with CNS complications like encephalitis or myelitis being extremely rare. We present a case of a 30-year-old man with PCR-confirmed diagnosis of monkeypox who developed rapid neurological deterioration with extensive inflammatory involvement of the brain and spinal cord on MRI. Because of the clinical and radiological resemblance to acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), it was decided to indicate treatment with high-dose corticosteroids for 5 days (without concomitant antiviral management due to lack of availability in our country). Given the poor clinical and radiological response, 5 days of immunoglobulin G were administered. During follow-up the patient's clinical condition improved, physiotherapy was started and all associated medical complications were controlled. To our knowledge, this is the first reported monkeypox case with severe CNS complications treated with steroids and immunoglobulin in the absence of specific antiviral treatment.

[Inappropriate antifungal prescription and the need for antifungal stewardship programs]. / Prescripción inapropiada de antifúngicos y la necesidad de programas para su uso racional.

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a condition affecting immunosuppressed and critically ill patients. Recently there has been an increase in the amount of patients at risk for IFD, which implies an increase in the prescription of antifungal agents as prophylactic, pre-emptive or empiric therapy. Some studies evaluating appropriateness of antifungal prescription have shown that inappropriate formulations reach 72%, exposing patients to side effects, pharmacological interactions and rising costs. Some groups have recommended many interventions to control and make a rational use of antimicrobials, into strategies known as "antimicrobial stewardship", these interventions are useful also for antifungal agents and it has been named "antifungal stewardship". Here we present a narrative review of the scientific literature showing published articles about appropriate use of antifungal agents and the experience of some centers after implementing antifungal stewardship programs.

Retinal vasculitis associated with epstein-barr virus infection in a young immunocompetent patient. first colombian case report

RESUMEN Introducción. La infección por virus de Epstein-Barr (VEB) suele ser asintomática y persiste durante toda la vida. La afectación ocular es infrecuente, y aunque existen informes de casos, ninguno de ellos proviene de Colombia o Latinoamérica. Presentación del caso. Paciente masculino inmunocompetente con vasculitis retiniana unilateral generalizada, con vasos sin sangre temporales e inferonasales en la periferia, hemorragias intrarretinianas, vitritis intensa y desprendimiento de retina. La presencia de VEB se definió con una técnica de reacción en cadena de la poli-merasa en humor vítreo. El paciente recuperó la agudeza visual con el tratamiento oral antiviral convencional. Discusión. La afectación ocular asociada con el VEB se describe en pacientes inmunocomprometidos, en especial con infección por virus de inmunodeficiencia humana donde puede haber afectación retiniana. En este caso particular se discute la presencia de esta patología en pacientes inmunocompetentes. Conclusiones. La vasculitis retiniana es una entidad rara con mayor asociación a la inmuno-depresión. No existe un algoritmo de diagnóstico de esta enfermedad y la afectación ocular puede ser variable; tampoco existen líneas estándar de tratamiento. La evidencia reportada en el presente caso podría justificar estudios en pacientes seleccionados que muestran un compromiso de la agudeza visual sin una etiología establecida.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Epstein - Barr virus (EBV) infection is usually asymptomatic and persists throughout life. Eye involvement is rare, and even though there are some case reports, none of them comes from Colombia or Latin America. Case presentation: Immunocompetent young man with generalized unilateral retinal vasculitis, temporal and inferonasal bloodless vessels in the periphery, intraretinal hemorrhages, intense vitritis and retinal detachment. Epstein-Barr virus presence was determined using a polymerase chain reaction technique in vitreous humor. The patient recovered visual acuity with conventional antiviral oral treatment. Discussion: Eye involvement associated with Epstein-Barr virus is observed in immunocompromised patients, especially with HIV infection, where retinal involvement may occur. This case reports the presence of this pathology in an immunocompetent patient. Conclusions: Retinal vasculitis is a rare entity, frequently associated with immunocompromise. There is no diagnostic algorithm for this disease and eye involvement may be variable; there are no standard lines of treatment either. The evidence reported here explains the need for studies in selected patients showing visual acuity involvement without an established etiology.

Prescripción inapropiada de antifúngicos y la necesidad de programas para su uso racional / Inappropriate antifungal prescription and the need for antifungal stewardship programs

Resumen La enfermedad fúngica invasora (EFI) es una entidad que afecta pacientes inmunocomprometidos y críticamente enfermos. En los últimos años, el número de pacientes con riesgo de presentarla viene en aumento, con el consecuente incremento de la formulación de antifúngicos de manera profiláctica, anticipada o empírica. Algunos estudios que evaluaron el uso adecuado de antifúngicos han mostrado que hasta 72% de las formulaciones pueden ser inapropiadas, exponiendo a los pacientes al riesgo de efectos adversos e interacciones medicamentosas, con mayores costos de la atención. Se han recomendado diferentes intervenciones para el control y el uso racional de antimicrobianos, conocidas como "antimicrobial stewardship", las que se pueden aplicar al uso de antifúngicos denominándose "antifungal stewardship"". Se presenta una revisión de la literatura médica sobre el uso apropiado de antifúngicos y el impacto de la implementación de programas de optimización del uso de estos medicamentos en algunos centros.

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a condition affecting immunosuppressed and critically ill patients. Recently there has been an increase in the amount of patients at risk for IFD, which implies an increase in the prescription of antifungal agents as prophylactic, pre-emptive or empiric therapy. Some studies evaluating appropriateness of antifungal prescription have shown that inappropriate formulations reach 72%, exposing patients to side effects, pharmacological interactions and rising costs. Some groups have recommended many interventions to control and make a rational use of antimicrobials, into strategies known as "antimicrobial stewardship", these interventions are useful also for antifungal agents and it has been named "antifungal stewardship". Here we present a narrative review of the scientific literature showing published articles about appropriate use of antifungal agents and the experience of some centers after implementing antifungal stewardship programs.