Isolation of Raoultella ornithinolytica in a HIV positive patient with a lung abscess.

A 38 year old male HIV positive patient with a history of intravenous drug use presented with chest pains, cough, sputum and weight loss and radiology demonstrated the evolution of a right basal lung abscess. A lung biopsy sent for 16S rRNA analysis and sputum cultured about the same time demonstrated Raoultella ornithinolytica . No other causative pathogens were clearly identified. He gradually improved with a 4 week course of intravenous cefazolin. R. ornithinolytica is a rare, but recognised pathogen.

Guillain Barré syndrome associated with bladder instillation of Bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG).

INTRODUCTION: Guillain Barré Syndrome (GBS) has rarely been associated with tuberculosis and has been previously reported after Bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) vaccination, but we report an association of GBS with intra-vesical BCG instillations followed by the clinical picture of disseminated BCGosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old man with bladder carcinoma had a transurethral tumour resection followed by repeated BCG instillations. Catheterization for his eighth dose was traumatic, causing frank haematuria. Ten days later he presented with fevers, myalgia and dyspnoea. Chest X-ray on admission showed micronodular shadowing and a computed tomography scan showed miliary changes in the lungs. Disseminated BCGosis infection was suspected and his symptoms did improve after starting rifamipicin, isoniazid and ethambutol. Over 2 weeks post-admission he developed an unsteady gait, reduced pin-prick sensation below both knees and fingertips, reduced proprioception in both toes and ankles, with absent reflexes in his lower limbs and diminished reflexes in his upper limbs. Nerve conduction studies showed a purely demyelinating sensori-motor peripheral neuropathy in upper and lower limbs, characteristic of GBS. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge this is the first case report of GBS following bladder instillation of BCG. Given the millions of cases of tuberculosis and millions of doses of administered BCG, GBS must be a very rare adverse effect.

Neurocysticercosis presenting as a 'Stroke Mimic'.

A 62 year old Nepalese gentleman presented with left sided weakness and sensory loss. Initial brain CT scanning was suggestive of acute infarction but a subsequent MRI scan showed cysts with oedema. Cysticercosis serology was positive and a diagnosis of neurocysticercosis was made. The patient made almost a complete recovery after treatment with albendazole, praziquantel and steroids. Neurocysticercosis should be considered in the diffierential diagnosis when patients originating from endemic areas present with focal neurological deficit.

Drug-induced myopathy in a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis.

A 26-year-old man, who had started treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis, developed polyarthralgia, generalised myalgia, weakness, and elevated uric acid and creatine kinase levels. His polyarthralgia improved on cessation of pyrazinamide, but the improvement in his myalgia and creatine kinase was delayed. Drug-induced myopathy was considered as there were no clear alternative explanations.

West-African trypanosomiasis in a returned traveller from Ghana: an unusual cause of progressive neurological decline.

West-African trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense is a rare imported infection presenting with somnolence, lymphadenopathy and wide-ranging neurological symptoms. A 67-year-old Caucasian man presented with a 10-month history of cognitive deterioration, ataxic gait, somnolence and urinary incontinence. His symptoms had progressed more rapidly over the course of a month prior to admission. Serological testing confirmed a diagnosis of West-African trypanosomiasis. The patient was successfully treated with eflornithine and made a good recovery. West-African trypanosomiasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained cognitive decline in those with a relevant travel history. If left untreated, the condition is universally fatal.

Early development of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome related to Pneumocystis pneumonia after antiretroviral therapy.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome is a recognized complication after the initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). We report a patient who developed life-threatening pulmonary immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) three days after initiation of cART. We reviewed published cases of IRIS after Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), in particular the time from initiation of cART to IRIS event. The median duration from the initiation of cART to the onset of IRIS was 15 days in the 33 patients reviewed. This report alerts clinicians to the rapidity of the development of pulmonary IRIS following PCP after the initiation of cART.

Crohn's disease or TB--the perennial question and diagnostic pitfalls.

A previously healthy 28-year old lady from Saudi Arabia presented with recurrent peri-anal abscesses progressing to fistula-in-ano. These were treated with incision and drainages and with setonisation of the fistula. Multiple biopsy and culture specimens were taken to rule out tuberculosis (TB) or Crohn's disease - all showed granulomatous disease suggestive of either Crohn's or TB, no mycobacteria were grown. MRI scanning also suggested either TB or Crohn's disease. Tuberculin skin test was inconclusive and Quantiferon Gold test was negative. Treatment for Crohn's was started with oral prednisolone - the patient deteriorated and adalimumab (tumour necrosis factor α antagonist) was commenced. With continued deterioration in the absence of intra-abdominal abscesses, a clinical diagnosis of TB was made, Crohn's treatment suspended and quadruple therapy for TB was initiated. The patient rapidly improved and a delayed re-look histological specimen identified an isolated mycobacterium. Subsequent cultures confirmed drug-sensitive TB. The lady is currently well on TB eradication regimen.

Aciclovir desensitisation and rechallenge.

A 29-year-old patient with HIV developed a facial angioedema hypersensitivity reaction to aciclovir when treated for acute retinal necrosis secondary to a herpes virus infection. She developed a similar reaction to famciclovir. Successful rapid desensitisation with oral aciclovir was performed and she became tolerant to aciclovir. She successfully completed 28 months of continuous treatment with no further reactions. However, 28 months later she experienced blurred vision and resumed taking oral aciclovir without a preceding desensitisation regimen. No allergic reaction occurred.

Valganciclovir treatment of primary cytomegalovirus pneumonitis in an immunocompetent adult.

Interstitial pneumonitis is a rare complication of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in the immunocompetent. There is a paucity of literature regarding treatment in these patients. A previously healthy, immunocompetent female patient presented with fever, shortness of breath, a dry non-productive cough and myalgia and was subsequently diagnosed with CMV interstitial pneumonitis. She was treated with valganciclovir and swiftly improved but experienced neutropenia, which resolved on treatment cessation.

Microbiologically confirmed meningoencephalitis due to Enterococcus avium: a first report.

We describe an 80-year-old lady with a meningoencephalitic illness followed by vertebral discitis. Enterococcus avium was cultured from her cerebrospinal fluid. No other pathogen was incriminated in her illness. The meningoencephalitic illness settled after 3 weeks of antimicrobials, but the vertebral discitis required longer therapy.