Risk Factors and Scoring Systems to Predict the Mortality Risk of Afebrile Adult Patients with Monomicrobial Gram-Negative Bacteremia: A 10-Year Observational Study in the Emergency Department.

Background: The mortality rate of afebrile bacteremia has been reported to be as high as 45%. This investigation focused on the risk factors and predictive performance of scoring systems for the clinical outcomes of afebrile patients with monomicrobial gram-negative bacteria (GNB) in the emergency department (ED).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of afebrile adult ED patients with monomicrobial GNB bacteremia from January 2012 to December 2021.

Predictive Performance of Scoring Systems for Mortality Risk in Patients with Cryptococcemia: An Observational Study.

Cryptococcal infection is usually diagnosed in immunocompromised individuals and those with meningeal involvement, accounting for most cryptococcosis. Cryptococcemia indicates a poor prognosis and prolongs the course of treatment. We use the scoring systems to predict the mortality risk of cryptococcal fungemia.

Scoring Systems to Evaluate the Mortality Risk of Patients with Emphysematous Cystitis: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: Emphysematous cystitis (EC) is a complicated urinary tract infection (UTI) characterized by gas formation within the bladder wall and lumen. Immunocompetent people are less likely to suffer from complicated UTIs, but EC usually occurs in women with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (DM). Other risk factors of EC include recurrent UTI, neurogenic bladder disorder, blood supply disorders, and prolonged catheterization, but DM is still the most important of all aspects.

Performance of Scoring Systems in Predicting Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Emphysematous Pyelonephritis: A 14-Year Hospital-Based Study.

Background: Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a rare but severe necrotizing infection causing there to be gas in the pelvicalyceal system, renal parenchyma, and perirenal or pararenal space. Physicians should attend to EPN because of its life-threatening septic complications. The overall mortality rate has been reported to be as high as 20−40%.

Case report of acute encephalitis following the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have proven to be safe, effective and life-saving. However, little information is available on the neurological complications of COVID-19 vaccine. Here, we report a case who developed acute encephalomyelitis 1 week after being vaccinated with AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (AZ vaccine).

Performance of Scoring Systems in Predicting Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Bacteremia of : A 9-Year Hospital-Based Study.

Background: (LM) is a facultative anaerobe, Gram-positive bacillus which is widely distributed in nature, and can be separated from soil, water, and rotten vegetables. Immunocompetent people are less likely to suffer from LM infection or may only show gastrointestinal symptoms. However, immunocompromised elderly people, pregnant women, and newborns may develop life-threatening invasive infections.

Evolution of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resistance in Shewanella algae from the perspective of comparative genomics and global phylogenic analysis.

Objective: Shewanella algae is a zoonotic marine bacterium that causes a variety of infections in immunocompromised patients or those who have been exposed to seawater. The development of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) resistance in S. algae are found in human and environment isolates during the past ten years, and thus the treatment options are decreasing.

Detection of S83V GyrA mutation in quinolone-resistant Shewanella algae using comparative genomics.

Background: Shewanella algae is a zoonotic pathogen that poses a serious health threat to immunocompromised hosts. Treatment of S. algae infections is challenging due to the pathogen's intrinsic resistance to a variety of β-lactam antibiotics.

Renal actinomycosis with retroperitoneal abscess in a cirrhotic patient: A case report (CARE-complaint).

Rationale: Renal actinomycosis is a rare clinical infection, subacute to chronic presentation caused by the Actinomyces bacteria. Actinomyces israelii is diagnosed in the overpowering majority of reported cases. Abdominopelvic manifestation forms 10% to 20% of all actinomycosis, and may be misdiagnosed as either a malignancy or chronic inflammation due to the lower correct preoperative diagnostic rate (<10%).

Psoas abscess associated with aortic endograft infection caused by bacteremia of Listeria monocytogenes: A case report and literature review (CARE Complaint).

Rationale: Endograft infection following endovascular stent for aortic aneurysm is rare (0.6%-3%), but it results in high mortality rate of 25% to 88%.

Patient Concerns: A 66-year-old hypertensive man underwent an endovascular stent graft for abdominal aortic aneurysm 18 months ago.

Clinical features, management, and outcome of iliopsoas abscess associated with cardiovascular disorders: a hospital-based observational case series study.

Background: Iliopsoas abscess (IPA) is a rare clinical entity and is difficult to diagnose due to its insidious onset and nonspecific symptoms. The association between IPA and cardiovascular disorders (CVD) has been rarely reported. Computed tomographic (CT) scan can provide a definitive diagnosis of IPA and associated foci of adjacent structures.

Incidence of and risk factors for cryptococcosis in kidney transplant recipients in Taiwan-A nationwide population-based study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the long-term incidence of cryptococcosis in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) and to analyze its risk factors.

Methods: This retrospective population-based cohort study analyzed data obtained from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database for KTRs during 2000-2012 and matched cohorts. Both populations were followed until death, development of cryptococcosis, or December 2013.

High-Mobility InSe Transistors: The Role of Surface Oxides.

In search of high-performance field-effect transistors (FETs) made of atomic thin semiconductors, indium selenide (InSe) has held great promise because of its high intrinsic mobility and moderate electronic band gap (1.26 eV). Yet the performance of InSe FETs is decisively determined by the surface oxidation of InSe taking place spontaneously in ambient conditions, setting up a mobility ceiling and causing an uncontrollable current hysteresis.

Prostatic abscess of Klebsiella pneumonia complicating septic pulmonary emboli and meningitis: A case report and brief review.

Prostatic abscess is a rare entity with an incidence of 0.5%-2.5% in all prostate diseases and usually occurs in the 5th and 6th decades of life with immunocompromised status.

Features and treatment modality of iliopsoas abscess and its outcome: a 6-year hospital-based study.

Background: Percutaneous drainage (PCD) and surgical intervention are two primary treatment options for iliopsoas abscess (IPA). However, there is currently no consensus on when to use PCD or surgical intervention, especially in patients with gas-forming IPA. This study compared the characteristics of patients with gas-forming and non-gas forming IPA and their mortality rates under different treatment modalities.

Penicillium pneumonia in a patient with newly diagnosed Franklin disease.

Franklin disease, or gamma heavy-chain disease, in patients with autoimmune disorders is a challenge for clinicians to diagnose due to its rarity, and recurrent infection is one of its characteristics. Within the spectrum of infections in Franklin disease patients, various fungi should always be considered. In this study, the authors describe a 57-year-old non-human immunodeficiency virus-infected systemic lupus erythematosus patient later diagnosed with Franklin disease and then developed Penicillium pneumonia.

Management of patients with huge pelvic actinomycosis complicated with hydronephrosis: a case report.

Actinomycosis is an uncommon, chronic, granulomatous disease caused by several species of the genus Actinomyces, a Gram-positive, filamentous bacterium that normally colonizes mucosal areas. Actinomycosis can be mistaken for malignant tumors, and in most cases the diagnosis is delayed or missed entirely until surgery. Actinomycosis in the abdomen or pelvis mostly results from prolonged use of an intrauterine device.

Outbreak of influenza A and B among military recruits: evidence from viral culture and polymerase chain reaction.

Background And Purpose: Influenza is an important cause of acute respiratory illness among military recruits, and pneumonia is the most frequent complication. This study was performed to categorize the clinical manifestations of influenza infections among military recruits.

Methods: In this retrospective chart review, epidemiologic investigation of patients who met the definitions of acute respiratory illness, influenza-like illness, and pneumonia was conducted.

Chryseobacterium meningosepticum sepsis complicated with retroperitoneal hematoma and pleural effusion in a diabetic patient.

Intra-abdominal infection due to Chryseobacterium meningosepticum is rare, and bacteremia complicated with pleural effusion and retroperitoneal hematoma caused by C. meningosepticum has not been reported previously. A 57-year-old diabetic man presented with bacteremia with retroperitoneal abscess and pleural effusion caused by C.

Primary splenic lymphoma associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis complicated with splenic rupture.

Primary splenic lymphoma (PSL) is a rare disease with ambiguous definition, comprising less than 1% of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Even rarer is PSL combined with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), which has presentations of fever, cytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, hyperferritinemia, and phagocytosis of hematopoietic cells in the reticuloendothelial system. We report the case of a 77-year-old man who presented with HLH initially.

Clinical characteristics of non-O1/non-O139 Vibrio cholerae isolates and polymerase chain reaction analysis of their virulence factors.

Background And Purpose: Non-O1/non-O139 Vibrio cholerae can cause invasive extraintestinal disease as well as enteritis. The pathogenesis of invasive non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae infections remains to be determined.

Diagnostic value of the Binax NOW assay for identifying a pneumococcal etiology in patients with respiratory tract infection.

Background And Purpose: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common pathogen in respiratory tract infections which is usually underestimated with conventional tests, largely due to the fragility of the bacteria. This study assessed the diagnostic value of a rapid test (Binax NOW) for the detection of the pneumococcal antigen in urine.

Methods: Unconcentrated urine samples from 1243 adults and 91 children hospitalized with respiratory tract infections were tested.

Clinical characteristics of fatal patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome in a medical center in Taipei.

Background: The clinical spectrum of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) varies widely in the way that asymptomatic carriers are believed to exist in the community. Still there are severe forms of illness in which the patients deteriorate unexpectedly within hours. This study delineates clinical characteristics of such fatal cases of SARS for the purpose of identifying patients with poor outcome.