Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis as a rare complication of dengue haemorrhagic fever: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is an uncommon systemic inflammatory syndrome that can happen secondary to numerous conditions. It rarely occurs due to dengue infection causing significant mortality and morbidity even with appropriate treatment. The outcome is further poor if the diagnosis of HLH is delayed or left untreated. Therefore, a high degree of clinical suspicion is paramount in diagnosing HLH. CASE PRESENTATION: A 17-year-old Sinhalese boy was admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka with a 4-day history of fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. He was hemodynamically stable, and the serological investigation confirmed a dengue infection. On the fifth day of fever, he entered the critical phase of dengue infection, confirmed by ultrasound evidence of plasma leaking. However, he had ongoing high fever spikes during the critical phase, and even after the critical phase was over, the fever spikes continued. Simultaneously, hepatosplenomegaly was noticed, and he showed persistent thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and anemia despite the resolution of the critical phase. Further, the workup revealed a serum ferritin level of > 3000 ng/mL triglyceride level of 314 mg/dL, and the bone marrow biopsy revealed an increased haemophagocytic activity. Secondary HLH was diagnosed on the basis of criteria used in the HLH-2004 trial and successfully managed with intravenous dexamethasone 10 mg/body surface area/day for the first 2 weeks, followed by a tapering regimen over 8 weeks. CONCLUSION: This case emphasizes the need to consider HLH as a potential complication when persistent fever and cytopenias are present after recovering from dengue fever, particularly in patients with unusual clinical features like hepatosplenomegaly. Early recognition and prompt treatment with appropriate immunosuppressive therapy, such as intravenous dexamethasone, can lead to a successful response and good prognosis.

A Rare Observation of Brachymetacarpia and Brachymetatarsia in a Patient with Primary Idiopathic Hypoparathyroidism.

Brachymetacarpia and brachymetatarsia are unique clinical entities associated with numerous rare conditions. Primary hypoparathyroidism is distinct from pseudohypoparathyroidism and pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism by lacking skeletal changes such as short metacarpals or metatarsals. Here, we present a case of a 64-year-old patient with brachymetacarpia and brachymetatarsia presented with hypocalcemic symptoms and signs, bilateral cataracts, and basal ganglia calcifications, subsequently diagnosed with idiopathic primary hypoparathyroidism. This is a rare case describing such an infrequent observation of brachymetacarpia and brachymetatarsia in primary idiopathic hypoparathyroidism.

Web-based snake identification service: A successful model of snake identification in Sri Lanka.

Snakes are reptiles of great biomedical significance. The accurate identification of snakes is particularly important for healthcare workers to diagnose and treat victims of snakebite envenoming. Further, snake identification is vital for the general population, especially to those who live in areas of high snakebite incidence. Owing to the great diversity of snakes and the superficial similarities between some species, the correct identification of these reptiles is often difficult. Therefore, identification of snake species is challenging for healthcare workers, biologists, naturalists, and the general population. To overcome this challenge, we developed a web-based snake identification service (www.snakesidentification.org) in Sri Lanka, which provides rapid and accurate identification by experienced herpetologists. This service received 486 identification requests over a period of 40 months. The majority of requests were from Colombo District [140 (28.8%)], though only 63 (13.0%) of these were identified as medically important snakes. The majority [389 (80.0%)] of the requests related either to feebly venomous colubrid snakes or non-venomous species. The sample included 30 (of 107) snake species in the island, including 8 endemic species. There were 315 (64.8%) requests relating to live snakes. In the majority of cases (285, 90.4%), the snake was released to the closest available habitat after being identified. The median time taken to respond to requests was 70 min (interquartile range 23-299 min). The majority of persons making requests (283, 58.2%) were unable to identify the snakes. For those who attempted identification the snakes, correct identification was made by only 59 (12.1%), whereas 144 (29.6%) identified the snake incorrectly. This web-based snake identification service provides an example of a successful and useful model of rapid snake identification. Similar models could be implemented in other regions and countries to provide accurate information on snake identification both to the healthcare workers and the general public.

Pure red cell aplasia secondary to rheumatoid arthritis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune disease with many extra-articular manifestations. Pure red cell aplasia is a rare manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis and is sparsely documented in the literature, with a variable clinical outcome following immunosuppressive therapy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 63-year-old Sinhalese female presented with transfusion-dependent anemia associated with deforming inflammatory arthritis. She also had leukopenia, right subclavian venous thrombosis, and generalized lymphadenopathy. The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis following initial clinical workup and additional blood and bone marrow investigations revealed pure red cell aplasia as a secondary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis after excluding other secondary causes, such as infections, thymoma, thrombophilic conditions, and hematological malignancy. She responded well to oral prednisolone, cyclosporine A, and hydroxychloroquine, and she attained complete recovery in 2 months. CONCLUSION: Pure red cell aplasia is a disabling illness that may lead to transfusion-dependent anemia, which may occur due to rare extrapulmonary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis. The diagnosis of pure red cell aplasia secondary to rheumatoid arthritis may be challenging where hematological investigations, including bone marrow biopsy, will aid in the diagnosis, and early diagnosis and treatment will bring about a better outcome.

Kounis Syndrome Secondary to Medicine-Induced Hypersensitivity.

INTRODUCTION: Kounis syndrome is the concurrence of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) caused by coronary vasospasms, acute myocardial infarctions, or stent thromboses in case of allergic or hypersensitivity reactions. Kounis syndrome is mediated by mast cells that interact with macrophages and T-lymphocytes, causing degranulation and inflammation with cytokine release. It is a life-threatening condition that has many trigger factors and is most commonly caused by medicines. Case Presentation. A 71-year-old male was admitted with a fever of five days' duration associated with cellulitis, for which he had been treated with clindamycin and flucloxacillin before admission. He was a diagnosed patient with hypertension and dyslipidemia five years ago. After taking the antibiotics, he had developed generalized itching followed by urticaria suggesting an allergic reaction. Therefore, he was admitted to the hospital. After admission, he developed an ischaemic-type chest pain associated with autonomic symptoms and shortness of breath. An immediate ECG was taken that showed ST-segment depressions in the chest leads V4-V6, confirmed by a repeat ECG. Troponin I was 8 ng/mL. Acute management of ACS was started, and prednisolone 10 mg daily dose was given. After complete recovery, the patient was discharged with aspirin, clopidogrel, atorvastatin, metoprolol, losartan, isosorbide mononitrate, and nicorandil. Prednisolone 10 mg daily dose was given for five days after discharge. CONCLUSION: In immediate hypersensitivity, with persistent cardiovascular instability, Kounis syndrome should be considered, and an electrocardiogram and other appropriate assessments and treatments should be initiated. Prompt management of the allergic reaction and the ACS is vital for a better outcome of Kounis syndrome.