Major acute cardiovascular events after dengue infection-A population-based observational study.

Background: Dengue virus (DENV) infection may be associated with increased risks of major adverse cardiovascular effect (MACE), but a large-scale study evaluating the association between DENV infection and MACEs is still lacking.

Methods And Findings: All laboratory confirmed dengue cases in Taiwan during 2009 and 2015 were included by CDC notifiable database. The self-controlled case-series design was used to evaluate the association between DENV infection and MACE (including acute myocardial infarction [AMI], heart failure and stroke).

Identifying predictors for bacterial and fungal coinfection on chest computed tomography in patients with Pneumocystis pneumonia.

Background: Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is a common opportunistic infection with high mortality in individuals with decreased immunity. Pulmonary coinfections with PCP are associated with poor prognosis. The study aims to identify radiological predictors for pulmonary coinfections in patients with PCP and risk factors for mortality.

Rapid establishment of a COVID-19 biobank in NHRI by National Biobank Consortium of Taiwan.

By the request of the Minister of Health and Welfare, NHRI Biobank was assigned to establish a COVID-19 biobank in early Feb, 2020 to collect COVID-19 patients' blood samples for Taiwan researchers and industries in an emergent way. It was set up in less than 3 weeks and quickly opened for application. By August 5, 2020, this COVID-19 biobank has collected 165 blood samples of 110 patients from more than 10 hospitals across north, middle and south part of Taiwan, including both COVID-19 (+) and (-) pneumonia patients.

Treatment for Mycobacterium abscessus complex-lung disease.

Nontuberculous mycobacterial infections and colonization are becoming more prevalent worldwide. Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC) is one of the predominant pathogens capable of a wide spectrum of infections, with 50% of infections involving the lungs. The decision to commence treatment is determined according to the severity of the disease, risk of progressive disease, presence of comorbidities, and goals of treatment.

Trend of HIV transmitted drug resistance before and after implementation of HAART regimen restriction in the treatment of HIV-1 infected patients in southern Taiwan.

Background: The use of fixed combination antiretroviral therapy with a low genetic barrier for the treatment of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may affect the local HIV transmitted drug resistance (TDR) pattern. The present study aimed to investigate changes in the prevalence of HIV TDR following the implementation of a fixed regimen of HIV treatment in Taiwan in 2012.

Methods: TDR was measured in antiretroviral treatment-naïve HIV-1-infected individuals who participated in voluntary counseling and testing between 2007 and 2015 in southern Taiwan.

HIV-1 integrase strand-transfer inhibitor resistance in southern Taiwan.

The use of antiretroviral therapy has reduced rates of mortality and morbidity in patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome(HIV/AIDS). However, transmission of drug-resistant strains poses a challenge to control the spread of HIV-1. Primary resistance to integrase strand-transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) is rare despite their increased use.

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in HIV-uninfected, rituximab treated non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients.

Rituximab is associated with a higher incidence of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia infection. Pneumocystis prophylaxis is advised in many immunocompromised populations treated with rituximab. However, the beneficial effect of pneumocystis prophylaxis in HIV-uninfected, rituximab-treated non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients has not been assessed.

Risk factors of treatment failure and 30-day mortality in patients with bacteremia due to MRSA with reduced vancomycin susceptibility.

Bacteremia caused by MRSA with reduced vancomycin susceptibility (MRSA-RVS) frequently resulted in treatment failure and mortality. The relation of bacterial factors and unfavorable outcomes remains controversial. We retrospectively reviewed clinical data of patients with bacteremia caused by MRSA with vancomycin MIC = 2 mg/L from 2009 to 2012.

A Clinical Algorithm to Identify HIV Patients at High Risk for Incident Active Tuberculosis: A Prospective 5-Year Cohort Study.

Background: Predicting the risk of tuberculosis (TB) in people living with HIV (PLHIV) using a single test is currently not possible. We aimed to develop and validate a clinical algorithm, using baseline CD4 cell counts, HIV viral load (pVL), and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), to identify PLHIV who are at high risk for incident active TB in low-to-moderate TB burden settings where highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is routinely provided.

Materials And Methods: A prospective, 5-year, cohort study of adult PLHIV was conducted from 2006 to 2012 in two hospitals in Taiwan.

IsaB Inhibits Autophagic Flux to Promote Host Transmission of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a major nosocomial pathogen that is widespread in both health-care facilities and in the community at large, as a result of direct host-to-host transmission. Several virulence factors are associated with pathogen transmission to naive hosts. Immunodominant surface antigen B (IsaB) is a virulence factor that helps Staphylococcus aureus to evade the host defense system.

Disseminated tuberculosis presenting as tuberculous peritonitis and sepsis tuberculosa gravissima in a patient with cirrhosis of the liver: A diagnosis of challenge.

We report the case of an 81-year-old man diagnosed with liver cirrhosis complicated by spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and septic shock. Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex was isolated from the ascites, sputum, and blood culture 1 month after the patient died. Clinicians should be aware of the unusual diagnosis of sepsis tuberculosa gravissima presenting with tuberculous peritonitis, which is easily misdiagnosed as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and Gram-negative bacillus sepsis in patients with cirrhosis.

Higher rate of hepatitis events in patients with human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, and hepatitis D genotype II infection: a cohort study in a medical center in southern Taiwan.

Background: The epidemiology and impact of hepatitis δ virus (HDV) on hepatic outcomes and virological and immunological responses to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients coinfected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in northern Taiwan have been reported. However, the epidemiology and impact of HDV infection in HIV-HBV coinfection patients in southern Taiwan remains uncertain.

Methods: In this cohort study, a total of 64 HIV patients coinfected with HBV were identified between January 1, 2009 and May 30, 2012.

Rapid onset of rhabdomyolysis after switching to a raltegravir-based antiretroviral regimen.

Raltegravir is the first integrase inhibitor antiretroviral agent that has been demonstrated to have antiviral efficacy and safety. However, the US Food and Drug Administration has recommended use with caution in patients with risk factors for rhabdomyolysis, based on four case reports of rhabdomyolysis in patients with identifiable risk factors. We present a 32-year-old Asian man with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but without other underlying diseases, who developed rapid-onset, raltegravir-associated rhabdomyolysis and hyperlactatemia.

Non-nosocomial healthcare-associated infective endocarditis in Taiwan: an underrecognized disease with poor outcome.

Background: Non-nosocomial healthcare-associated infective endocarditis (NNHCA-IE) is a new category of IE of increasing importance. This study described the clinical and microbiological characteristics and outcome of NNHCA-IE in Taiwan.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of all patients with IE admitted to the Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan over a five-year period from July 2004 to July 2009.

Encephalitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis after eating raw frogs mixed with wine as a health supplement.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis also known as the rat lungworm, is prevalent in the Pacific Islands and southeast Asia and is the most common cause of eosinophilic meningitis in humans. Although frogs and toads are known as paratenic hosts of A. cantonensis, they are rarely reported as the infectious source of human angiostrongyliasis.

High prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection in dialysis patients using the interferon-gamma release assay and tuberculin skin test.

Background And Objectives: Patients in ESRD on hemodialysis with latent tuberculosis (TB) infection have 10 to 25 times the risk of reactivation into active disease compared with healthy adults. This study investigates the prevalence of latent TB infection in dialysis patients from a country with an intermediate burden of TB and its associated risk factors using the QuantiFERON-TB Gold in-tube test (QGIT) and the tuberculin skin test (TST).

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study performed at a medical center in Taiwan on dialysis patients.

Clinical and molecular epidemiology of infective endocarditis in intravenous drug users.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) in intravenous drug users has been increasing in incidence. The major pathogen used to be methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, but resistant isolates have also been increasing. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of IE in intravenous drug users and to evaluate the molecular patterns of methicillin-resistant S.