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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory, multisystem autoimmune disease with a broad spectrum of clinical presentations. Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) refers to neurological and psychiatric symptoms involving the central and peripheral nervous systems.  A 23-year-old African American female with a history of undifferentiated connective tissue disease on hydroxychloroquine and poor medication adherence presented to the emergency department with an altered mental status and generalized headache. In addition, she had a fever, associated tachycardia (104 BPM), and hypotension (90/63 mmHg). She was given fluids and started on broad-spectrum antibiotics and antivirals, suspecting bacterial or viral meningitis. However, a broad infectious workup, including cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) culture, was unrevealing. Given the lack of improvement of antibiotics, an immunological workup for SLE was initiated, which showed low CH50, C3, and C4; anti-nucleic acid antibody (ANA) was 1:1280, anti-double-stranded (anti-DS) DNA antibody not detected, and fluorescent ANA was positive. For severe NPSLE, rituximab is the most commonly utilized immunosuppressant; it was not utilized in this case due to the patient's insurance. The patient was placed on methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide (CYC) infusion per ACR guidelines. Due to the toxic effects of CYC on the gonads, we offered ovarian preservation; however, the patient opted to refuse. The patient's mental status started to improve after three days of pulse steroids. The patient was advised to follow up with rheumatology for CYC therapy and a gradual taper of her steroids. NPSLE is a diagnosis of exclusion primarily based on expert opinion due to the absence of a gold standard diagnostic procedure. Disease-specific therapy, symptomatic therapy, nonpharmacological approaches, and correction of aggravating variables are all used to treat individuals with NPSLE.  This paper aims to contribute to the existing literature on NPSLE, with the intention to educate and strive for early detection and treatment. We hereby present an interesting case of SLE in a 23-year-old female who would not have responded to one treatment. Instead, she needed multidisciplinary management, along with poor compliance.

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Giardiasis, a feco-oral route parasitic intestinal infection, and Salmonellosis, a foodborne enteric and extraintestinal bacterial infection, remain major public health issues in countries that lack adequate sanitation, safe water supply, and proper food handling. Here we report a case of Giardia lamblia and invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella disease co-infection in a patient with a history of recent travel to Mexico.

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We report a case of a 54-year-old immunocompetent male who had lung abscess secondary to Streptococcus intermedius that led to discitis by contiguous spread of infection. He initially presented with constant chest pain for 6 weeks that radiated to lower back, with no fever, chills or weight loss. He denied smoking cigarettes, alcohol use or any illicit drug. On investigation, a mass was identified on the posterior medial aspect of the right lower lobe with direct infiltration into right side of the T5-T6 vertebral bodies. Histopathology identified organising pneumonia with abscess. Tissue cultures showed S. intermedius, and were negative for other microorganisms. This case highlights a rare presentation of S intermedius discitis by contiguous spread of infection from posterior right lower lobe lung abscess. S intermedius usually occurs in older patients with pulmonary infections complicated with pleural effusion or lung abscess, but can present in young patients with no clear symptoms of lung infection, like our patient.

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Herpes simplex (HSV) esophagitis is usually identified in patients with significant immunosuppressive conditions such as AIDS. Short course of immunosuppressive therapy is an uncommon risk factor for this condition. We present a case of acute gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to HSV type 1-induced esophageal ulcers. A 63-year-old woman developed acute hypoxic hypercapnic respiratory failure. Past medical history was significant for COPD for which the patient was taking short-acting bronchodilator inhalers. The patient was intubated and started on mechanical ventilation. Intravenous Solu-Medrol 40 mg Q6 was started. Hospital course was complicated by sepsis of unknown source. Empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy was started. On the 11th hospital day, the patient experienced multiple episodes of coffee ground emesis. There was abdominal tenderness on physical examination. Significant laboratory results were lipase 1,911 U/L and lymphopenia (ALC = 300/mm3). Endoscopy revealed severe erosive esophagitis and multiple punched-out ulcerations of the esophagus. Empiric treatment with valacyclovir 500 mg OD was started. The patient required PEG tube insertion for dysphagia. Complete resolution of esophagitis was noted then. Immunohistochemical staining for HSV was strongly positive in the cells with inclusions. Short course of intravenous corticosteroids is an uncommon cause of HSV-1 esophagitis. Corticosteroid-induced lymphopenia impedes underlying cellular immunity, which might explain the reactivation of latent herpes and esophageal ulcer formation. Given the rarity of the disease, evidence of treatment is available from case reports only. We found complete resolution of esophageal ulcers after the patient received valacyclovir therapy for 10 days.

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Streptococcus pneumonia is an important cause of septicemia. Other sites of infection include meningitis, septic arthritis, and endocarditis. Pneumococcal endocarditis is rare and has a poor prognosis. We report a case of a 47-year-old female patient with HIV who developed isolated native tricuspid valve endocarditis secondary to streptococcus pneumonia, which is considered to be a very rare presentation in our patient due to the absence of common risk factors such as intravenous drug use, heart disease, or right heart catheterization.

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BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurs because of a novel enveloped ribonucleic acid coronavirus called severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). One of the major reported complications of COVID-19 includes both arterial and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Here we describe a case of COVID-19 provoked pulmonary embolism in a young patient already receiving prophylactic treatment for VTE. CASE REPORT A 46-year-old female with past medical history of diabetes mellites, hypertension, and asthma presented in the emergency department (ED) with dyspnea requiring 6 liters per minute of oxygen on presentation. Her main complaints were cough and vomiting. In the ED, hypoxemia worsened, and she ultimately required endotracheal intubation. Labs were suggestive of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and showed increase in all inflammatory markers and absolute lymphocytopenia. Chest X-ray showed bilateral diffuse patchy airspace opacities. Standard DKA management was started. She was also started on ceftriaxone, azithromycin, hydroxychloroquine, and subcutaneous heparin (5000 U every 8 h) for VTE prophylaxis. SARS-Cov2 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction returned positive. Ceftriaxone and azithromycin were discontinued the very next day because of low suspicion of bacterial infection while hydroxychloroquine was completed for 5 days. On the third day of admission, the patient self-extubated and was immediately placed on nonrebreather with spO2 in low 90s. On the fourth day of admission, D-dimer came back 4.74 mg/L, which was elevated from a prior value, so computed tomography angiography of the lungs was done, which disclosed multiple emboli in the lungs. She was started on therapeutic doses of enoxaparin sodium, which was continued through her admission. She was switched to Apixaban on discharge. CONCLUSIONS The finding of the case suggested that low-molecular-weight heparin prophylaxis may not be sufficient to prevent VTE in COVID-19 pneumonia. Some of these patients may benefit from receiving prophylactic half doses or full doses of anticoagulants.

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INTRODUCTION: Acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) remain among the most common infectious processes seen in the clinical setting. For patients with complicated ABSSSIs deemed to require intravenous antibiotics, vancomycin remains the mainstay therapy. Ceftaroline has been shown to be non-inferior to vancomycin and may result in faster resolution of signs of infection. METHODS: Multicenter, prospective, open-label, randomized trial of ceftaroline versus vancomycin for the treatment of adult patients admitted for management of ABSSSIs from April 2012 to May 2016; 166 patients in the clinically evaluable (CE) group were needed to determine a 20% difference in primary outcome of clinical response at day 2 or 3 of antibiotics. Clinical response was defined as cessation of spread of lesion and improvement in systemic signs/symptoms of infection. A secondary outcome was a ≥ 20% reduction in lesion size at day 2 or 3 of antibiotics. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-four patients were enrolled in the intention-to-treat (ITT) group and 108 were CE. Among CE patients, 54 were randomized to ceftaroline and 54 to vancomycin. Baseline characteristics were similar except patients in the ceftaroline arm were older and had a non-significantly higher degree of comorbidities (median Charlson score 2 vs. 4, respectively). Cellulitis was the most common type of ABSSSI (85.2% vs. 79.6%, respectively). Rapid diagnostic testing of available cultures (n = 55) demonstrated high agreement with clinical microbiology for identification of Staphylococcus aureus (100%) and MRSA (100%). There was no significant difference in primary outcome of day 2 or 3 clinical response (50.0% vs. 51.9%). CONCLUSION: Early clinical response between vancomycin- and ceftaroline-treated ABSSSIs was similar. Patients with ABSSSIs rarely remained hospitalized for > 2-3 days, thus limiting our ability to critically assess clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02582203. FUNDING: Allergan plc.

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Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae has spread worldwide and throughout the United States. Colistin is used extensively to treat infections with this organism. We describe a cluster of colistin-resistant, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae infection cases involving three institutions in Detroit, MI. A cluster of five cases of colistin-resistant, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae was identified at Detroit Medical Center (DMC) from 27 July to 22 August 2009. Epidemiologic data were collected, and transmission opportunities were analyzed. Isolates were genotyped by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR. Data regarding the use of colistin were obtained from pharmacy records. The index case of colistin-resistant, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae was followed 20 days later by four additional cases occurring in a 6-day interval. All of the patients, at some point, had stayed at one particular institution. The mean number of opportunities for transmission between patients was 2.3 ± 0.5, and each patient had at least one opportunity for transmission with one of the other patients. Compared to 60 colistin-susceptible, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae controls isolated in the previous year at DMC, case patients were significantly older (P = 0.05) and the carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae organisms isolated from them displayed much higher MICs to imipenem (P < 0.001). Colistin use was not enhanced in the months preceding the outbreak. Genotyping revealed two closely related clones. This report of a colistin-resistant, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae outbreak is strongly linked to patient-to-patient transmission. Controlling the spread and novel emergence of bacteria with this phenotype is of paramount importance.

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Carcinosarcoma of the lung is a malignant tumor composed of a mixture of carcinoma and sarcoma elements. The carcinomatous component is most commonly squamous followed by adenocarcinoma. The sarcomatous component commonly comprises the bulk of the tumor and shows poorly differentiated spindle cell features. Foci of differentiated sarcomatous elements such as chondrosarcoma and osteosarcoma may be seen. Aspergillus pneumonia is the most common form of invasive aspergillosis and occurs mainly in patients with malignancy, immunocompromising or debilitating diseases. Patients with Aspergillus pneumonia present with fever, cough, chest pain and occasionally hemoptysis. Tissue examination is the most reliable method for diagnosis, and mortality rate is high.We describe a case of primary carcinosarcoma of the lung concurrently occurring with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in a 66-year old patient.

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