Acute Chagas Disease Outbreak among Military Personnel, Colombia, 2021.

We report an acute Chagas disease outbreak among soldiers in Colombia. Trypanosoma cruzi infection was confirmed through parasitology, serology, and molecular methods. Among 9 affected soldiers, 2 died; 7 were hospitalized and received benznidazole treatment, which produced favorable outcomes. Personnel patrolling rural areas in Colombia could be at increased risk for Chagas disease.

Use of cidofovir in a patient with severe mpox and uncontrolled HIV infection.

A 48-year-old man with poorly controlled HIV presented with severe human monkeypox virus (hMPXV) infection, having completed 2 weeks of tecovirimat at another hospital. He had painful, ulcerating skin lesions on most of his body and oropharyngeal cavity, with subsequent Ludwig's angina requiring repeated surgical interventions. Despite commencing a second, prolonged course of tecovirimat, he did not objectively improve, and new lesions were still noted at day 24. Discussion at the UK National Health Service England High Consequence Infectious Diseases Network recommended the use of 3% topical and then intravenous cidofovir, which was given at 5 mg/kg; the patient made a noticeable improvement after the first intravenous dose. He received further intravenous doses at 7 days and 21 days after the dose and was discharged at day 52. Cidofovir is not licensed for use in treatment of hMPXV infection. Data for cidofovir use in hMPXV are restricted to studies in animals. Four other documented cases of cidofovir use against hMPXV have been reported in the USA in 2022, but we present its first use in the UK. The scarcity of studies into the use of cidofovir in this condition clearly shows the need for robust studies to assess efficacy, optimum dosage, timing, and route of administration.

Correlation between videothoracoscopy and biopsy in patients with pleural effusion and suspected tuberculosis in a high complexity military hospital / Correlación entre videotoracoscopia y biopsia en pacientes con derrame pleural y sospecha de tuberculosis en Hospital Militar de alta complejidad

Background: In the diagnostic process of pleural tuberculosis, the findings from video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) can be highly suggestive for the diagnosis of infection. Methods: We reviewed VATS records between the years 2012 to 2016 of patients over 16 years of age with pleural effusion and suspected pleural tuberculosis. Symptoms, macroscopic and chemical characteristics of the fluid, surgical descriptions and visual diagnosis of the surgeon were recorded and were compared with the histopathology. Results: 106 patients were selected, most of them men (71.7%), of whom approximately half were active military (51.3%). The predominant symptoms were dyspnea, pleuritic pain, fever and evolution time greater than 15 days (94.3%, 80.2%, 50% and 46,2%, respectively). These symptoms, in turn, were present more frequently in pleural tuberculosis patients than in non-tuberculosis patients. The fluid was mostly turbid yellow (44%) and lymphocytic cellularity exudate (77.4%). The VATS findings in patients with confirmed TBC included nodules (96.9%), adhesions (87.5%) and thickening (78.1%). The diagnosis made by the surgeon in relation to the histopathological diagnosis showed a sensitivity of 88.6% and a specificity of 98.4%. Conclusion: There are highly suggestive characteristics of the macroscopic report of VATS that would allow a quicker diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis.

Antecedentes: Los hallazgos de toracoscopia asistida por video (VATS) durante el diagnostico de tuberculosis pleural, que son altamente sugestivos de la infección han sido poco descritos. Metodos: Se revisaron los registros de VATS entre los años 2012 a 2016 of de pacientes mayores de 16 años con efusión pleural y sospechosos de etiología tuberculosa. Se analizaron los síntomas, las características macroscópicas y bioquímicas del líquido, la descripción quirúrgica y el diagnostico visual y se compararon con los resultados de la histopatologia. Resultados: Se estudiaron los registros de 106 pacientes, la mayoría fueron sexo masculino (71.7%), y aproximadamente la mitad en servicio militar activo (51.3%). Los síntomas predominantes fueron disnea, dolor pleuritico, fiebre y tiempo de evolución mayor a 15 días (94.3%, 80.2%, 50% y 46,2%, respectivamente). Estos sintomas a su vez fueron más frecuentes en tuberculosis pleural que en no tuberculosis. El liquido fue más amarillo turbio (44%) y con exudado de tipo linfocitario (77.4%). Los hallazgos de VATS en pacientes con tuberculosis confirmada incluyeron nodulos (96.9%), adhesiones (87.5%) y engrosamiento (78.1%). El diagnóstico hecho por el cirujano con relación al histopatológico, tuvo una sensibilidad de 88.6% y una especificidad de 98.4%. Conclusion: Existen características en el VATS altamente sugestivas de tuberculosis pleural.

Leclercia adecarboxylata, a rare cause of soft tissue infections in immunocompromised patients, case report and review of the literature / Leclercia adecarboxylata, una causa rara de infección de tejidos blandos en pacientes inmunocomprometidos, reporte de caso y revisión de la literatura

Leclercia adecarboxylata is a member of the Enterobacteriaceae family that has been isolated from several environmental and animal specimens, however it rarely causes diseases in human beings. It has natural resistance to several antibiotics, and has shown the ability to harbor and produce enzymes capable of hydrolyzing most of the antibiotics used in daily clinical practice, making its treatment a challenge when a strain with such characteristics causes disease. Here we report the first known case of infection by Leclercia adecarboxylata after a trauma with plant material, in a 69-year-old male patient, with poorly controlled Diabetes Mellitus type 2.

Leclercia adecarboxylata es un miembro de la familia Enterobacteriaceae que ha sido aislada tanto de muestras de animales como medioambientales, sin embargo raramente produce enfermedad en seres humanos. Tiene resistencia natural a varios antibióticos y se ha encontrado que tiene enzimas capaces de hidrolizar la mayoría de los antibióticos utilizados en la práctica clínica, lo cual hace un verdadero tratar una infección por este microorganismo en humanos. Aquí reportamos el primer caso de infección por Leclercia adecarboxylata luego de un trauma con material vegetal, en un paciente de 69 años y con una diabetes tipo 2, mal controlada.

Polineuropatia desmielinizante aguda en SIDA: presentación de dos casos / Atypical acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy in the setting of HIV infection: Report of two cases

La polineuropatia desmielinizante aguda (AIDP) es un desorden inmune que afecta el nervio periférico produciendolesión axonal o mielínica. las infecciones respiratorias altas, gastrointestinales o los cuadros febriles inespecíficosusualmente preceden este caudro clínico caracterizado por debilidad progresiva y disminución de reflejos miotendinosos.En el paciente con infección VIH la AIDP usulamnete aparece en el periodo de seroconversión cuandoel conteo de CD4 es mayor a 500 células/uL. Se presume origen infecciosos a pesar de no existir un anticuerpoespecífico. reportamos dos casos de paciente con VIH y ADPI con presentación atípica. El primero con un conteode CD4 menos a 100 células/uL, el segundo en el contexto de síndrome de reconstitución inmunológica (IRIS).Ambos pacientes tuvieron recuperación satisfactoria luego de tratamiento con inmunoglobulina intravenosa ysuspensión temporal del tratamiento antiretroviral respectivamente.

The influence of poly(ethylene oxide) and illumination on the copper electrodeposition process onto n-Si(100).

In this study, we examined the influence of illumination and the presence of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) as an additive for the copper electrodeposition process onto n-Si(100). The study was carried out by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and the potential steps method, from which the corresponding nucleation and growth mechanism (NGM) were determined. Likewise, a morphologic analysis of the deposits obtained at different potential values by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) was carried out. In a first stage, Mott-Schottky measurements so as to characterize the energetics of the semiconductor/electrolyte interface were made. Also, parallel capacity measurements were carried out in order to determine the surface state density of the substrate. It was found that when PEO concentration is increased, the number of these surface states decreases. The CV results indicated that the presence of PEO inhibits the photoelectrochemical reaction of oxide formation on the surface of the semiconductor. This allows a decrease in the overpotential associated with the electrodeposition process. The analysis of the j/t transients shows that the NGM corresponds to progressive three-dimensional (3D) diffusional controlled (PN3D(Diff)), which was confirmed by the AFM technique. Neither illumination nor the presence of PEO changes the mechanisms. Their influence is in that they diminish the size of the nuclei and the speed with which these are formed, which produces a more homogeneous electrodeposit.