Publications by authors named "Kensuke Takahashi"
Septic arthritis in native joints due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria is rare, and there is limited information in the current literature. An 85-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis experienced persistent left knee pain and mobility issues for several days. Initially, the patient was diagnosed with pseudogout by calcium pyrophosphate deposition and leukocytes in the aspiration fluid.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Influenza-like illness (ILI) is one of the most common illnesses caused by various respiratory viruses and directly or indirectly incurs high expenses to households. However, the pathogen-specific incidence and health-seeking behaviour in communities have not been well described.
Methods: A longitudinal cohort study using a self-recorded health calendar among 1000 households was performed in South-central Vietnam from October 2009 to September 2012.
, a rare human pathogen, has limited clinical data. This case report presents a case of sepsis, pyelonephritis, and septic spondylitis treated successfully with ampicillin. An 82-year-old woman was hospitalized for acute pyelonephritis and sepsis, presenting with fever and abdominal pain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Little is known about snakebites by Naja samarensis, a species unique to the Philippines. The aim here is to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients bitten by this medically important cobra in the Eastern Visayas.
Methods: A hospital-based prospective study analysed the features of snakebite patients attending Eastern Visayas Medical Center between June 2022 and May 2023.
Gamma-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase (GILT) plays pivotal roles in both adaptive and innate immunities. GILT exhibits constitutive expression within antigen-presenting cells, whereas in other cell types, its expression is induced by interferon gamma (IFN-γ). Gaining insights into the precise molecular mechanism governing the induction of GILT protein by IFN-γ is of paramount importance for adaptive and innate immunities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study aimed to analyze the characteristics and prognostic indicators of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Nagasaki, Japan, focusing on how the location (sloped vs. accessible areas) affected outcomes.
- Over a 10-year period with 4280 patients, the research found that prognosis was worse in sloped places, but these locations were not a significant prognostic indicator after analysis.
- Factors such as age, bystander CPR, and first documented rhythm contributed more to survival chances, suggesting that improving bystander CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) usage could help in enhancing outcomes for OHCA in the region.
Background: 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), a natural amino acid that is marketed alongside sodium ferrous citrate (SFC) as a functional food, blocks severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proliferation in vitro and exerts anti-inflammatory effects. In this phase II open-label, prospective, parallel-group, randomized trial, we aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 5-ALA in patients with mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019.
Methods: This trial was conducted in patients receiving 5-ALA/SFC (250/145 mg) orally thrice daily for 7 days, followed by 5-ALA/SFC (150/87 mg) orally thrice daily for 7 days.
Article Synopsis
- This study reviews snakebite incidents in Japan caused by exotic pet snakes from 2000 to 2022, finding 11 recorded cases from various snake families.
- Most victims were male, all suffered hand injuries, and none resulted in fatalities, although serious complications like respiratory failure and acute kidney injury were noted.
- The study suggests the need for better preparedness in emergency rooms for treating exotic snake bite victims and recommends implementing a reporting system for comprehensive tracking of snakebite cases in Japan.
Pediatric acute hepatitis of unknown etiology has been reported globally since April 2022. In Japan, 139 possible cases with onset dates after October 2021 were reported as of December 2022. Three patients required liver transplants, but none died.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The Samar cobra (Naja samarensis) is a highly venomous snake found in the Eastern Visayas of the Philippines, yet there have been no clinical case reports documenting its bites in international literature.
- The need for identifying the snake responsible for envenomation in hospitals is tough due to the lack of diagnostic tests and the absence of published cases, except for the related N. philippinensis.
- This report details five cases of confirmed N. samarensis bites, highlighting varied symptoms, including local tissue damage and neurotoxic effects, with successful treatment achieved using locally produced antivenom and supportive care.
Article Synopsis
- - A man in his 50s showed symptoms like fever, sore throat, and cough, and tested positive for HIV, leading to his referral for further treatment and diagnosis.
- - He was diagnosed with organising pneumonia along with his HIV infection, and his lung lesions improved on their own.
- - The patient was treated with a combination antiretroviral therapy, highlighting the importance for doctors to consider organising pneumonia in HIV patients with lung opacity.
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and HHV-8 from a large pericardial effusion in an HIV-positive patient with COVID-19 and clinically diagnosed Kaposi sarcoma: a case report.
Trop Med Health
September 2022
Article Synopsis
- Pericardial effusion, a complication associated with advanced HIV, is often linked to low CD4 counts and can involve multiple pathogens, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, SARS-CoV-2, and HHV-8.
- The case presented involves a young man with pulmonary tuberculosis and multiple symptoms, leading to the detection of both SARS-CoV-2 and HHV-8 in his pericardial fluid after he developed severe complications, including a cardiac effusion.
- Despite treatment and drainage of the effusion showing some clinical improvement, the patient ultimately succumbed to a nosocomial infection, highlighting the complexity and seriousness of his condition.
Article Synopsis
- Diagnosing infected aneurysms early is tough due to non-specific symptoms and challenges in imaging, as seen in a study of 41 cases at Nagasaki University Hospital.* -
- In the study, pathogens were found in 34 patients, with a mix of bacterial types identified, and many patients were initially misdiagnosed, particularly those who underwent plain CT scans.* -
- The research suggests that the low sensitivity of plain CT makes it inadequate for diagnosis, recommending contrast-enhanced CT for better detection of infected aneurysms.*
Enhanced event-based surveillance for imported diseases during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Western Pac Surveill Response J
March 2022
Article Synopsis
- In 2021, Japan's National Institute of Infectious Diseases improved its event-based surveillance (EBS) system to monitor infectious diseases from abroad ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
- They used the World Health Organization's and BlueDot's intelligence platforms to enhance the capabilities of their surveillance efforts.
- During the Games, no major public health threats were identified, but vast information sourced from multiple areas helped assess risks and streamline the surveillance workload despite ongoing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Measles outbreak in the Philippines: epidemiological and clinical characteristics of hospitalized children, 2016-2019.
Lancet Reg Health West Pac
February 2022
Article Synopsis
- Measles outbreaks surged globally from 2017-2019, with the Philippines experiencing the largest surge, attributed to a drop in first-dose measles vaccination coverage to 75% in 2018.
- A study analyzed the hospital admissions of 5,562 children under five with measles from 2016 to 2019, focusing on their health records and vaccine status.
- Findings showed a 3.2% mortality rate, particularly in unvaccinated infants, highlighting the urgent need to improve immunization strategies and potentially adjust the timing of vaccinations to prevent future outbreaks.
Article Synopsis
- - A study in Khan Hoa Province, Vietnam (2009-2012) found that 12.6% of pregnant women were infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), and after two years, 1.9% of their children were also infected despite 76.6% receiving vaccinations.
- - Children whose mothers tested positive for hepatitis B e antigen had a higher risk of infection, even with complete vaccination, and other factors like mother's low body mass index contributed to children's HBV infection.
- - The research indicates a low rate of congenital HBV infection in Vietnam but highlights the need for more preventive measures, including anti-viral therapy for high-risk pregnant women.
Evaluation of four commercial severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 antibody tests.
J Infect Chemother
July 2021
Article Synopsis
- The study assessed the performance of four commercial antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2 using serum samples from COVID-19 patients, highlighting their limited effectiveness in the early infection phase but potential utility for later-stage cases.
- The tests showed varying sensitivities: 70.9%, 65.3%, 45.1%, and 65.7% over a period of 155 sick days, with improvements observed as time from infection increased, particularly post day 15.
- Despite differences in sensitivity, all tests demonstrated high specificity (over 96%) and no cross-reactions with other respiratory pathogens, suggesting that their performance differences must be considered in epidemiological studies.
Article Synopsis
- An amendment to the original paper has been released.
- This amendment provides updates or corrections to the initial findings.
- Readers can find and access this amendment through the original article.
A previously healthy Japanese man in his fifties was admitted to our hospital because of a recurrent fever after returning from Kenya and Madagascar. He was ambulant with a body temperature of 36.6 °C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- A cluster of unexplained multi-organ failure cases in children was reported at Bardnesville Junction Hospital in Liberia, prompting an investigation into potential causes, particularly focusing on paracetamol overdose.
- The study involved syndromic surveillance to identify affected children and a case-control study to investigate risk factors, ultimately matching cases with controls based on demographics and proximity.
- Results indicated that many affected children had taken paracetamol before hospitalization, and those with organ failure had a significantly higher chance of exceeding safe dosage levels compared to controls.