Mycobacterium marinum Cutaneous Infection: A Series of Three Cases and Literature Review.

Mycobacterium marinum is a non-tuberculous mycobacteria present in natural and non-chlorinated bodies of water. It is a known fish pathogen but can also cause human disease. It usually causes cutaneous lesions but in rare cases may originate more invasive diseases with the involvement of deep structures. We describe three cases of patients with cutaneous infection by M. marinum evaluated in a tertiary care center, two with confirmed infection and one with a presumptive diagnosis based on clinical and epidemiological features. A brief bibliographic review of M. marinum infections is then presented to support the theme. We aim to alert one to the difficulties in establishing the correct diagnosis of this infection, emphasize the importance of a high degree of suspicion for its identification, and review the therapeutic management options.

Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis Presenting as Worsening Dyspnea in an HIV-infected Patient.

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a rare manifestation of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. It is characterized by relapsing bulky papillomas in the respiratory tract, which are usually benign in nature. We describe a challenging case of RRP in an HIV-infected patient with extensive pulmonary disease, presenting with worsening dyspnea. The interaction between HPV with HIV as a coinfection is still not completely understood, particularly the role of HIV-associated immunosuppression in RRP. Our main goal is to raise awareness of this clinical entity and to promote further studies on its management, particularly in specific populations such as HIV-infected individuals. A brief review of the theme is also presented.

[Guideline for the Treatment and Prevention of Infections Associated with Immunosuppressive Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases]. / Protocolo de Prevenção e Tratamento de Infeções Associadas à Terapêutica Imunossupressora de Doenças Autoimunes.

We propose a guideline about the risk, prevention and treatment of infection in the patient under immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive therapy in the context of autoimmune or autoinflammatory disease. It is divided into three sections: drugs and associated risk of infection; immunizations; risk, prevention, and treatment of specific infections. The treatment of autoimmune diseases involves the use of immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory therapies, with an increasing number of new drugs being used. It is associated with an increased risk of infection, which may be present globally or only for specific agents, varying widely depending on the pharmacological class and even within the same class. The prevention strategy and clinical management need to be individually tailored and there are several key factors: characterization of the disease that prompts the immunosuppression, understanding of the mechanism of action of the immunosuppressive drug, knowledge of previous infections, recognition of risk factors, laboratory test results, vaccine administration, monitoring of clinical signs and symptoms and patient education.

O presente protocolo aborda o risco, prevenção e tratamento da infeção no doente sob terapêutica imunomoduladora ou imunossupressoraem contexto de doença autoimune ou autoinflamatória. Subdivide-se nas seguintes secções: fármacos e risco associado de infeção; imunizações; risco, prevenção e tratamento de infeções específicas. Com um número crescente de novos fármacos em utilização nos últimos anos, o tratamento de doenças autoimunes envolve a utilização de terapêuticas imunossupressoras ou imunomoduladoras e associa-se a aumento do risco de infeção, que pode estar presente de uma forma global ou apenas para infeções por agentes específicos, variando amplamente consoante a classe farmacológica e mesmo dentro desta. Na estruturação da estratégia preventiva são fundamentais a caracterização da patologia que motiva a imunossupressão, a compreensão do mecanismo de ação do imunossupressor, a aferição de infeções prévias, o reconhecimento de fatores de risco, a realização de rastreios laboratoriais, a administração de vacinas, a educação do doente e a monitorização de sintomas e sinais clínicos, na dependência de uma gestão clínica necessariamente individualizada.

SARS-CoV-2 and hearing: An audiometric analysis of COVID-19 hospitalized patients.

PURPOSE: COVID-19 associated hearing loss is still an ongoing matter of debate. No original studies exist on audiological effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized patients. The main objective was to determine whether SARS-CoV-2 may affect auditory function in clinically ill COVID-19 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: COVID-19 patients with moderate-severe disease and without prior history of hearing abnormalities were enrolled from a tertiary referral center, and matched with controls. Participants performed an audiometric evaluation, and thresholds were compared. RESULTS: 120 ears from 60 patients were enrolled. Patients with COVID-19 showed worse mean auditory thresholds starting from 1000 Hz through higher frequencies, when compared to controls (1000 Hz: 18.52 ± 5.49 dB HL in controls vs 25.36 ± 6.79 dB HL in COVID-19, p < 0.001; 2000Hz: 17.50 ± 5.57 dB HL in controls vs 21.96 ± 7.05 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.010; 3000Hz: 17.97 ± 8.07 dB HL in controls vs 25 ± 9.38 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.003; 4000 Hz: 20.16 ± 10.12 dB HL in controls vs 29.55 ± 11.26 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.001; 8000 Hz: 31.09 ± 12.75 dB HL in controls vs 40.71 ± 19.40 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.030; Pure Tone Average: 20.42 ± 4.29 dB HL in controls vs 24.85 ± 5.62 dB HL in COVID-19, p = 0.001). Statistical significance persisted after adjusting for confounders such as age, gender and various comorbidities (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 may affect hearing in COVID-19 patients with moderate-severe disease. Results are in line with the previous suggested effects of COVID-19 on auditory system. This study is expected to encourage further research on this topic.

[Venomous Animals in the Portuguese Territory: Clinical Management of Bites and Stings]. / Animais Venenosos em Território Português: Abordagem Clínica de Picadas e Mordeduras.

There are many native species of animals with the potential to cause severe disease in Portugal. Of the four clinically relevant snake species, the vipers (Vipera latastei and Vipera seoanei) are the most concerning. They can cause severe disease and require in-hospital management, monitoring and specific treatment, including the administration of anti-snake venom serum. The Malpolon monspessulanus and Macroprotodon brevis snakes cause mostly localized clinical manifestations, which do not require specific treatment. Only a minority of the spider species in Portugal possess chelicerae (mouthparts of the Chelicerata, shaped as either articulated fangs or pincers, which may contain venom or be connected to the venom glands and are used for predation or capture of food) long enough to perforate the human skin. Nevertheless, Latrodectus tredecimguttatus and Loxosceles rufescens spider bites may require specialized treatment in a hospital setting, as well as careful active symptom surveillance. Diversely, the treatment for Scolopendra cingulata and Scolopendra oraniensis centipedes' bites is merely symptomatic. The only existing scorpion species in Portugal is the Buthus ibericus; its sting typically causes local symptoms with intense pain, and its treatment consists essentially of analgesia. The insects of the Hymenoptera order, such as bees and wasps, have the ability to inject venom into the skin. Most people present only with local or regional inflammatory response, and symptomatic treatment is usually effective. Even so, individuals with hypersensitivity to bee venom may develop anaphylaxis. Several marine species in the Portuguese coast are venomous to humans, including weeverfish (Trachinidae family), stingrays (Dasyatis pastinaca, Taeniura grabata, Myliobatis aquila), red scorpion fish (Scorpaena scrofa), cnidaria (Pelagia noctiluca, Chrysaora hysoscella, Physalia physalis) and bearded fireworm (Hermodice carunculata); treatment is symptomatic. Contact with the larvae or bristles (chitinous structures with locomotor or tactile functions) of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (pine processionary) can cause cutaneous, ocular and, rarely, respiratory reactions; its management is also symptomatic.

Em território português, existem várias espécies autóctones de animais capazes de provocar envenenamento e doença clinicamente significativa, com potencial de gravidade. Das quatro espécies de serpentes com relevância clínica, as víboras (Vipera latastei e Vipera seoanei) são as mais preocupantes; podem causar doença grave e necessitam de abordagem hospitalar, monitorização e tratamento específico, incluindo soro antiveneno. As serpentes Malpolon monspessulanus e Macroprotodon brevis causam maioritariamente manifestações clínicas locais, sem tratamento específico. Apenas uma minoria das espécies de aranha presentes em Portugal possui quelíceras (apêndices bucais dos Chelicerata, em forma de tenaz ou gancho, que podem conter veneno ou encontrar-se ligados às glândulas venenosas, usados para predação ou captura de alimentos) suficientemente compridas para perfurar a pele humana, mas as picadas de Latrodectus tredecimguttatus e Loxosceles rufescens podem implicar tratamento diferenciado em ambiente hospitalar, com necessidade de vigilância ativa. O tratamento da picada das centopeias Scolopendra cingulata e Scolopendra oraniensis é sintomático. A única espécie de escorpião presente em território nacional, Buthus ibericus, causa geralmente sintomas locais com dor intensa; o tratamento habitualmente baseia-se apenas na administração de analgesia. Os insetos da ordem Hymenoptera, como as abelhas e vespas, possuem capacidade de libertar veneno através de picadas; a maior parte dos indivíduos apresenta apenas reações inflamatórias locais ou regionais, para as quais a aplicação de medidas sintomáticas é suficiente, mas indivíduos que apresentem hipersensibilidade ao veneno podem desenvolver reações anafiláticas. Na costa portuguesa e em águas pouco profundas, encontram-se várias espécies marinhas venenosas para os humanos, como Echiichthys vipera (peixe-aranha comum), Dasyatis pastinaca, Taeniura grabata e Myliobatis aquila (ratões), Scorpaena scrofa (rascasso-vermelho), Pelagia noctiluca, Chrysaora hysoscella e Physalia physalis (cnidários) e Hermodice carunculata (verme-do-fogo), cujas picadas necessitam apenas de tratamento sintomático. O contacto com as larvas ou cerdas (estruturas quitinosas com funções locomotoras ou tácteis) de Thaumetopoea pityocampa (lagarta-do-pinheiro) pode provocar reações cutâneas, oculares e, raramente, respiratórias; a sua abordagem também é sintomática.