A case of typhoidal acalculous cholecystitis is described in a 31-year-old Indian man, who was admitted with 4-day fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. On examination, he looked ill, but was conscious and febrile with icteric sclera. The right upper quadrant of the abdomen was tender. Investigations showed high liver ...

The dengue vector, the mosquito Aedes aegypti, is present in urban settings in north Queensland, thereby putting the region at risk of outbreaks of dengue. This review describes some features of the 9 outbreaks of dengue that occurred in north Queensland over the 4 years, 2005-2008.

Kodamaea (Pichia) ohmeri was formerly considered a contaminant, but is now known to be a significant human pathogen that has been shown to cause fungemia, endocarditis, funguria, and peritonitis in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of fungemia caused by K. ohmeri in a 71-year-old man with cellulitis. The patient ...

OBJECTIVES: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an extremely rare example of opportunistic infection in patients treated with TNF-alpha antagonists and only a few cases have been described. In this paper risk factors, clinical features, diagnostic work-up and outcome of patients developing VL under biologic therapy are described. METHODS: Case report and ...

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) cases in the notorious Bitterroot Valley outbreak of the early 20th century were peculiarly distributed, with virtually all reported from the west side of the valley. Such a distribution remained unexplained until Burgdorfer and colleagues (1981) reported that endosymbiotic rickettsiae were prevalent in wood ticks ...

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessively-transmitted disease characterised by attacks of fever and serositis. Articular involvement is the second most common manifestation following abdominal pain. Patients with FMF are considered to have an increased risk of sacroiliitis, while the association of such abnormalities with FMF has not been ...

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute multisystem vasculitis of unknown etiology that typically affects young children. KD presenting as a retropharyngeal inflammatory process is very rare. To report a case of KD initially presenting as a retropharyngeal edema mimicking a deep neck infection, and to review previously published reports in ...

We report a case of fever of unknown origin in an immunocompetent patient as the first manifestation of primary central nervous lymphoma. To our knowledge this is the first reported case in the literature of this association. We recommend brain imaging to be considered in patients presenting with fever of ...

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral zoonosis with the potential of human-to-human transmission that affects wide areas in Asia, Southeastern Europe, and Africa. Hemorrhagic manifestations constitute a prominent symptom of late stage disease with case fatality rates from 3 to 50%. We present a case of CCHF complicated ...

With the introduction of vaccination for haemophilus influenza, the epidemiology of epiglottitis in children has changed. Classic childhood epiglottitis is now rare, and unusual forms of the disease may be seen. Nectrotizing epiglottitis is an extremely rare form of epiglottitis. Only four cases of nectrotizing epiglottitis have been previously reported, ...

Wuchereria bancrofti is found throughout tropics and subtropics like Asia, Pacific islands, Africa, areas of South America and Caribbean basin. In all these areas, except Pacific islands, microfilaria occurs in the periodic form, in which case the microfilaria are found in large numbers in the peripheral blood during night. In ...

Trypanosoma theileri (Laveran, 1902) has been diagnosed in many countries and is commonly considered as a nonpathogenic hemoparasite, although some authors have described clinical signs in cattle infected with T. theileri. In April and May, 2005, 12 blood samples were received at the Exopol Diagnostic Laboratory (Zaragoza, Spain) from a ...

Melioidosis is endemic in Southeast Asia and northern Australia, but it has been rarely reported from India. Recent reports have shown that melioidosis is an emerging infection in this part of the world, but enteric fever is more commonly seen in India. We present a 50-year-old male with diabetes who ...

The changing epidemiology of vector-borne diseases represents a growing threat to human health. Contemporary surveillance systems have to adapt to these changes. We describe temporal trends and geographic origins of vector-borne diseases in Germany with regard to strengths of existing disease surveillance and to areas marked for improvement. We focused ...

BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis is the second most common parasitic disease after malaria. Imported cases of schistosomiasis are reported in nonendemic regions due to an increased number of travelers to affected geographical areas. The present case report aimed to emphasize the importance of a correct history of a patient, including information regarding ...

Septicemia of Vibrio spp. such as non-O1 Vibrio cholerae presented with diarrhea, fasciitis, cellulitis or otitis media are common in cirrhotic patients (Lin, C.-J., Chiu, C.-T., Lin, D.-Y., et al., Am. J. Gastroenterol., 91, 336-340, 1996). It may result from a lower C3/C4 level, a lower serum ferritin level or ...

Human herpesvirus type 6 (HHV-6) has been well described as an agent of meningoencephalitis in post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients, but is a rare cause of meningoencephalitis in immunocompetent adults. We report an immunocompetent adult with HHV-6-associated meningoencephalitis. The patient was an elderly diabetic man who presented with fever and ...

This case report describes a patient with prolonged fever following a kidney biopsy. Workup disclosed a large perirenal and retroperitoneal hematoma. Neither imaging nor blood cultures supported an infective cause of his fever. Although the patient was initially treated with antibiotics, fever eventually resolved spontaneously. A review of the literature ...

Two outbreaks of Q fever were reported in the Netherlands in 2007 and 2008. The ongoing 2008 outbreak in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands is the largest community outbreak ever described, with 808 cases reported until August 2008. The changing epidemiology of Q fever is most likely related to ...

Typhoid fever due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella typhi has been extensively reported. We present an imported case (from Bangladesh) of typhoid fever with typhoid hepatitis due to an MDR S typhi strain with clinically delayed response or reduced susceptibility to ceftriaxone. The relevant clinical and public health implications are discussed.

The presenting symptoms of meningococcemia are protean, and the illness is rapidly progressive and often fatal, making it simultaneously one of the most dangerous and most important illnesses the Emergency Physician can encounter. It attacks the young and it is highly contagious. This report uses one of the many unusual ...

The spotted fever rickettsia, Rickettsia helvetica, is mostly reported to present a flu-like self-limiting disease. In the present case, however, where the presence of R. helvetica in the blood was verified by PCR together with serologic evidence of infection, the patient presented a different clinical picture with acute febrile illness, ...

We examined seasonality and annual trends for dengue cases among 522 returned travelers reported to the international GeoSentinel Surveillance Network. Dengue cases showed region-specific peaks for Southeast Asia (June, September), South Central Asia (October), South America (March), and the Caribbean (August, October). Travel-related dengue exhibited annual oscillations with several epidemics ...

Typhoid fever is a systemic disease not endemic to South Dakota. We report a case of a young child, living in South Dakota since immigrating with his family as a refugee, who developed typhoid fever. Contact investigation failed to identify a source, suggesting that the infection was acquired abroad. The ...

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a pathogen identified with increasing frequency in the respiratory tracts of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients from endemic areas such as Southeast Asia and northern Australia. The following report describes the first known reported case in a CF patient from the Caribbean attending a North American CF clinic.

Chikungunya, an alphavirus presenting with fever, rash, and polyarthritis, is derived from the Makonde word that means "that which bends up," in reference to the crippling manifestations of the disease. Most often it is a self-limiting febrile illness. Neurologic complications of Chikungunya infection have been reported. We are reporting the ...

Barmah Forest virus (BFV) is a commonly occurring arbovirus in Australia. Notifications of Barmah Forest infections diagnosed by a single positive IgM serology test have been increasing in coastal New South Wales north of Newcastle. We report on a 6 month prospective review of all routine notifications of BFV from ...

A 37-year-old man was presented with incidental findings of neutropenia, atypical lymphocytosis, thrombocytopenia and deranged liver parenchymal enzymes. Four days later, he developed fever, sore throat and cervical lymphadenopathy, compatible with mononucleosis-like illness (MLI). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and viral culture of the nasopharyngeal swab showed human metapneumovirus (hMPV). There ...

Abstract Brucellosis is a known occupational hazard for shepherds, abattoir workers, veterinarians, dairy industry professionals and personnel in microbiological laboratories. Any organ may be affected by Brucella species but to date, severe manifestations in the pharynx have never been reported as the prevailing features of brucellosis. We report two cases ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Epidemic sporotrichosis is rare and has been related to an environmental source of infection. There were no reports of epizootics before a cat-transmitted epidemic was reported in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In the present paper we review the data published on this epidemic. RECENT FINDINGS: From 1998 ...

Xanthogranulomatous orchitis (XGO) is a rare histological finding that is generally diagnosed at orchiectomy. To date, fewer than 10 reports of XGO exist in the literature. The exact pathogenesis of XGO is unknown and patients may present with a rapid onset of symptoms or a longer, more indolent course. We ...

Despite the availability of all advanced diagnostic tools, fever of unknown origin (FUO) remains a diagnostic challenge for physicians. The objective was to define, through a retrospective study, the categories of the diseases of Sicilian patients admitted at the Department of Clinical Medicine and Emerging Diseases, University of Palermo, Italy, ...

The seasonality of cholera is described in various study areas throughout the world. However, no study examines how temporal cycles of the disease vary around the world or reviews its hypothesized causes. This paper reviews the literature on the seasonality of cholera and describes its temporal cycles by compiling and ...

An exemplary case report of a patient who developed an unpredictable sudden, late-onset clozapine-related life-threatening agranulocytosis expressed by a nadir of 14 polymorphonuclear cells/microL, and subsequently underwent protective hospitalisation and broad spectrum, empiric antimicrobial therapy and also experienced serious intolerance to a number of administered antibiotic and antifungal agents, is ...

The objective was to present a case of periodic fever with aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and cervical adenitis (PFAPA), summarize the medical literature on PFAPA, review the differential diagnosis and suggest a diagnostic approach to periodic fevers in children. A PubMed search was conducted for all case reports and series of ...

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic relapsing and remitting inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. The common presentation includes abdominal pain, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. Many patients may exhibit systemic symptoms of fever and weight loss. Approximately 20% to 40% of patients will experience extraintestinal manifestations that involve the eyes, ...

Recurrent fever of unknown origin is mostly caused by rather rare diseases and many cases remain unexplained. The very limited literature data do not allow one to construct a diagnostic algorithm. A number of general principles should be kept in mind before starting the investigation for this rare subtype of ...

Human brucellosis is a worldwide re-emerging zoonosis. However, its histological appearance has only been occasionally described. We report the case of a young girl who had been suffering from a spontaneous fracture of the eighth thoracic vertebra at the age of 7. At the age of 15, X-ray showed a ...

Tickborne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a bacterial illness caused by certain species of Borrelia and transmitted through brief and painless bites from Ornithodoros ticks. Illness usually is characterized by intermittent periods of fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. In April 2005, CDC received reports of two cases of severe TBRF associated ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a tick-borne viral zoonosis with the potential of human-to-human transmission, affecting wide areas in Asia, Southeastern Europe, and Africa. Hemorrhagic manifestations constitute a prominent symptom of late stage disease with case fatality rates from 10% to 50%. The purpose of this article is ...

In response to a January 2005 report of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) in Timor Leste, the World Health Organization sent a team to assist the National Hospital Guido Valadares (NHGV) in Dili with clinical case management and diagnostic support. The hospital reported 67 admissions including 8 deaths (case fatality rate ...

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a severe disease with a case fatality of 2.8 to 80 %. A patient dwelling in an endemic region for CCHF was admitted with fever preceding bleeding diathesis and pancytopenia. Despite no history of tick exposure, CCHF was highly suspected. With an oral ribavirin therapy, ...

Neonatal enteric fever is a rare but life-threatening illness. Patients may present with varying severity, Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi causing more severe illness than Salmonella enterica serotype Paratyphi A. Salmonella enterica serotype Paratyphi A is considered to cause milder infection with fewer complications. We report a rare case of vertical ...

Q fever (infection with Coxiella burnetii) has been uncommon in Australia's Northern Territory, with no reported cases until 2002. Since then, twelve cases of Q fever have been reported, representing a much lower notification rate than in surrounding Australian states. Three cases were identified in Central Australia during 2006, prompting ...

Fever (pyretotherapy) was used for psychosis during the turn of the 19th century, but pyretotherapy (ie, the treatment of a disorder by inducing fever) fell out of use after the introduction of convulsive methods. Here, we report on a case of schizoaffective disorder and review classical and recent literature on ...

BACKGROUND: Mesotherapy is an increasingly used technique which is currently causing several mycobacterial infections owing to contaminated substances being injected, and also to poor aseptic measures being held by nonprofessional practitioners. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We collected 15 cases of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection after mesotherapy in a 6-month period. RESULTS: ...

Overseas deployments place military personnel at risk for tropical diseases not typically observed on the U.S. mainland. This case describes the first reported case of brucellosis returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. A 31-year-old infantry soldier complained of a 6-week history of headaches, relapsing fever, and constitutional ...

Patients with infectious mononucleosis caused by the Epstein-Barr virus frequently present to the accident and emergency department. The most common presenting symptoms are fever, fatigue, odynophagia and malaise. Although significant airway compromise is rare and occurs in an estimated 1-3.5% of cases, it may present as a potentially life-threatening situation ...

R. typhi is one of the rickettsial species endemic in the Mediterranean countries and is associated with the zoonotic infection of murine typhus, which may have a complicated course especially in adult patients. Murine typhus in pregnancy has rarely been reported in the medical literature. We describe a case of ...

Sydenham chorea (SC) is the neurological manifestation of rheumatic fever and is the most common acquired chorea in children. The disease presents as choreiform movements and behavioral changes after a streptoccocal throat infection. Although the incidence of SC has diminished because of aggressive antibiotic treatment, both isolated cases and epidemics ...