Concurrent Infection with SARS-CoV-2 and Orientia tsutsugamushi during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Maldives.

The COVID-19 pandemic was the worst public-health crisis in recent history. The impact of the pandemic in tropical regions was further complicated by other endemic tropical diseases, which can cause concurrent infections along with COVID-19. Here, we describe the clinical course of a patient with concurrent COVID-19 and scrub typhus infection. The patient's de-identified clinical data were retrieved retrospectively. The patient had progressive breathlessness at the time of presentation and was hospitalized for COVID-19. Respiratory examination revealed dyspnea, tachypnea, and coarse crepitations bilaterally over the entire lung field. Oxygenation was impaired, and a PaO2/FiO2 ratio of 229 suggested acute respiratory distress syndrome. Laboratory tests indicated leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, ferritinemia, hypoalbuminemia, and transaminitis. Upon revaluation for persistent fever, physical examination revealed an eschar in the right antecubital fossa. Serology further confirmed scrub typhus, with IgM and IgG antibody positivity. A remarkable clinical recovery was achieved with doxycycline. The COVID-19 pandemic might have masked endemic tropical diseases. Clinicians working in endemic regions must always consider common tropical diseases that may present as a co-infection, as in our case. Travel and exposure history are critical guides for narrowing down a differential diagnosis. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent complications.

A Fatal Case of Native Valve Endocarditis with Multiple Embolic Phenomena and Invasive Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia: A Case Report from the Maldives.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening condition caused by infection within the endocardium of the heart and commonly involves the valves. The subsequent cascading inflammation leads to the appearance of a highly friable thrombus that is large enough to become lodged within the heart chambers. As a result, fever, fatigue, heart murmurs, and embolization phenomena may be seen in patients with IE. Embolization results in the seeding of bacteria and obstruction of circulation, causing cell ischemia. Of concern, bacteria with the potential to gain pan-drug resistance, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), are increasingly being identified as the causative agent of IE in hospitals and among intravenous drug abusers. We retrospectively reviewed de-identified clinical data to summarize the clinical course of a patient with MRSA isolated using an automated blood culture system. At the time of presentation, the patient showed a poor consciousness level, and the calculated Glasgow scale was 10/15. A high-grade fever with circulatory shock indicated an occult infection, and a systolic murmur was observed with peripheral signs of embolization. This case demonstrated the emerging threat of antimicrobial resistance in the community and revealed clinical findings of IE that may be helpful to clinicians for the early recognition of the disease. The management of such cases requires a multi-specialty approach, which is not widely available in small-island developing states such as the Maldives.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with SARS-CoV-2 Infection in an Adult: A Case Report from the Maldives.

The multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) is a novel syndrome observed during COVID-19 outbreaks. This hyper-inflammatory syndrome is seen predominantly in children and adolescents. The case of an adult from the Maldives who had asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection three weeks before presenting to the hospital with fever, rash, and shock is presented. De-identified clinical data were retrospectively collected to summarize the clinical progression and treatment during hospitalization and the six-month follow-up. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed by RT-PCR. Other laboratory findings included anemia (hemoglobin: 9.8 g/dL), leukocytosis (leukocytes: 20,900/µL), neutrophilia (neutrophils: 18,580/µL) and lymphopenia (lymphocytes: 5067/µL), and elevated inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (34.8 mg/dL) and ferritin (2716.0 ng/dL). The electrocardiogram had low-voltage complexes, and the echocardiogram showed hypokinesia, ventricular dysfunction, and a pericardial effusion suggestive of myocardial dysfunction compromising hemodynamics and causing circulatory shock. These findings fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of MIS-A. The case was managed in the intensive care unit and required non-invasive positive pressure ventilation, inotropes, and steroids. With the new surges of COVID-19 cases, more cases of MIS-A that require the management of organ failure and long-term follow-up to recovery are anticipated. Clinicians should therefore be vigilant in identifying cases of MIS-A during the pandemic.

Coronavirus disease 2019 and dengue: two case reports.

BACKGROUND: The pandemic of this century has overwhelmed the healthcare systems of affected countries, and all resources have been diverted to coronavirus disease 2019. At the onset, coronavirus disease 2019 can present as any other acute febrile undifferentiated illness. In tropical regions, clinicians are increasingly challenged to differentiate these febrile illnesses without the use of diagnostics. With this pandemic, many of these tropical diseases are neglected and go underreported. Dengue is holoendemic in the Maldives, and dengue viruses circulate throughout the year. Reports about coinfections with dengue virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 are scarce, and the outcome and the dynamics of the disease may be altered in the presence of coinfection. We have described the clinical manifestation and serial laboratory profile, and highlighted the atypical findings uncommon in dengue infection. CASE PRESENTATION: Case 1 was a 39-year old Asian male, presented on day 6 of dengue infection with warning signs. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 that was done as per hospital protocol was found to be positive. Case 2 was a 38-year old Asian male, was admitted on day 5 of illness with symptoms of acute respiratory infection with positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Evaluation of progressive leukopenia and thrombocytopenia showed positive dengue serology. CONCLUSION: Clinicians must be conscientious when working on the differential diagnosis of possible tropical diseases in cases of coronavirus disease 2019, specifically, when patients develop hemoconcentration, thrombocytopenia, and transaminitis with elevated expression of aspartate higher than alanine transaminase, which is frequently observed in dengue infection. Caution must be taken during the administration of intravenous fluids when treating patients with coronavirus disease 2019 and dengue coinfection, as coronavirus disease 2019 patients are more prone to develop pulmonary edema. Timely diagnosis and appropriate management are essential to avoid the devastating complications of severe forms of dengue infection. It is important to repeat and reconfirm the dengue serology in coronavirus disease 2019 patients to avoid false positivity. Diligence and care must be taken not to neglect other endemic tropical diseases in the region during the present pandemic.

COVID-19 and emergencies in patients with diabetes: two case reports.

BACKGROUND: Maldives reported its first Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case on March 7th, 2020. Since then more than 9400 positive cases and 33 deaths have been reported. Recently studies have shown that COVID-19 patients with diabetes had a poor prognosis and a higher mortality rate when compared to the non-diabetic patients. Poorly controlled diabetic patients had a higher incidence of complications like diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS) which might have been precipitated by COVID-19. DKA and HHS are potentially lethal but preventable conditions. During this pandemic, although cases of uncontrolled diabetes are frequently reported, there is scarcity in reporting of cases with diabetic emergencies. CASE PRESENTATION: Case 1 was a 53-year old Asian male, admitted on Day 10th of illness with DKA with acute kidney injury, and Moderate COVID-19. Case 2 was a 72-year old Asian male, admitted with mild COVID-19 who developed HHS with acute kidney injury on day 9 of illness. Both patients were managed conservatively in intensive care unit, with intravenous fluids and insulin. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should focus on close monitoring of diabetic patients with COVID-19, to prevent diabetic emergencies like DKA and HHS. It is important to aggressively manage these conditions for a favorable outcome.