Desmoid-type fibromatosis mimicking uterine fibroid invade the urinary bladder: A case report and literature review.

OBJECTIVE: Desmoid fibromatosis (DF) is a rare, locally aggressive soft tissue tumor. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) play a critical role in the diagnosis of DF and in developing treatment plans. Currently, observation is the primary therapeutic option for a biopsy-confirmed DF. Here, we present a case of a DF that was misdiagnosed as uterine fibroid before surgery. CASE REPORT: A 36-year-old woman presented with urinary frequency and a palpable lower abdominal mass, which was suspected as uterine fibroid based on sonography and CT. During surgery, an abdominal wall mass was found to be densely adherent to the bladder. Permanent pathology revealed that the tumor was desmoid-type fibromatosis. CONCLUSION: Desmoid tumors often occur in the abdomen, abdominal wall, extremities, head, and neck. Abdominal wall DF involving the rectus abdominis muscles is most commonly observed. Conversely, desmoid tumors involving the bladder are less described. The review of similar cases reported since 1985 showed that partial cystectomy was primarily performed for complete resection.

Early experience of the pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 epidemic in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: A novel influenza H1N1 began in March 2009, rapidly spread, and then became a pandemic outbreak. Diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction result was not always available because of a surge in workload and therefore clinical diagnosis became important. However, clinical differences between the patients infected by the novel H1N1 virus and those infected by the influenza-like non-novel H1N1 have not been reported. This study was conducted to compare the demographic background, clinical manifestations, and laboratory findings between novel H1N1 influenza infections and other non-novel H1N1 infections. METHODS: At an early stage of H1N1 spread, cases presenting with influenza-like symptom and travel or contact history were quarantined into infection disease-designated hospitals in Taiwan. Data on consecutive patients under investigation for infection with novel influenza A (H1N1) were collected between April 29 and June 19, 2009. The data set consisted of clinical manifestations, plain chest radiography, hematological results, and biochemical findings. Testing of nasopharyngeal swab samples by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect H1N1. RESULTS: Overall, 166 cases were collected. Among these individuals, there were 14 confirmed H1N1 cases. The clinical manifestations of the H1N1 cases included fever in 13 patients (92.9%), followed by cough, rhinorrhea, a sore throat, myalgia, headache, malaise, abdominal tenderness, and diarrhea. Leukopenia was present in nine patients (64.2%) and lymphocytopenia was present in five (35.7%). The duration of virus shedding was 7.0 ± 1.8 days. When compared with the non-H1N1 cases by multiple logistic regression analysis, cases infected by the novel H1N1 virus were more likely to be younger than 20 years [Odds ratio (OR) = 27.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-597.8, p = 0.034), have traveled from the US (OR = 14.5, 95% CI = 2.1-101.4, p = 0.007) or Thailand (OR = 56.7, 95% CI = 4.6-700.6, p = 0.002) and to have presented with myalgia (OR = 8.5, 95% CI = 1.4-52.0, p = 0.021) or leukopenia (OR = 17.4, 95% CI = 3.4-90.5, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: When a patient presents with influenza-like acute febrile respiratory illness symptoms and is young in age, has a travel history involving an affected area, and is suffering from myalgia or leukopenia, physicians should be alerted to the possibility of novel H1N1 virus infection.

Clinical characteristics of patients with Acinetobacter junii infection.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Acinetobacter junii is a human pathogen but A. junii infection is rarely reported. This study aimed to delineate the characteristics of A. junii infection. METHODS: The medical records of 34 patients who were treated at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, from May 1999 to May 2007 and had A. junii isolated from sterile sites were reviewed. Isolates of A. junii were identified by using API ID 32 GN and were confirmed by analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region. RESULTS: Thirty five infections with A. junii were identified. The most common underlying conditions included prior antibiotic use (56%), central venous catheterization (50%), and malignancy (38%). Systemic inflammatory response syndrome and shock developing within 1 week were observed in 27 (77%) and 8 (23%) episodes, respectively. Eighty percent of the infectious episodes were hospital acquired. The infections were primary bacteremia (n = 32), empyema (n = 1), peritonitis (n = 1), and keratitis (n = 1). Polymicrobial infection was present in 9 episodes (26%). A. junii isolates remained susceptible to most of the tested antimicrobial agents, but the hospital-acquired isolates had higher resistance rates than the community-acquired isolates. Four patients (11.4%) died of A. junii infection despite appropriate antimicrobial therapy for 3 patients. Shock that developed within 1 week of bacteremia was associated with a poor outcome (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A. junii is an opportunistic pathogen that mainly affects patients who have had prior antimicrobial therapy, invasive procedures, or malignancy. Newly emerging infections caused by A. junii and the increasing antimicrobial resistance among hospital-acquired A. junii isolates should be monitored.