ABSTRACT
Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of infective endocarditis. Meningitis is a rare initial presenting feature of S. aureus infective endocarditis, especially with the absence of other cardio-vascular signs. Differentiating patients with uncomplicated S. aureus bacteraemia from those with underlying infective endocarditis is often challenging.
ABSTRACT
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended enhanced safety surveillance to monitor for cases of Bell's palsy following Moderna vaccine administration in larger populations. The author reports a patient who developed right sided Bell's palsy 2 weeks after administration of the second dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Considering this development of symptoms 2 weeks after the second dose of Moderna vaccine administration, there remains a possibility of a causal association. As more people get vaccinated, more information may be available in the future to establish association. Physicians need to maintain enhanced safety surveillance to monitor for cases of Bell's palsy following mRNA vaccine administration.
ABSTRACT
Front-line health-care workers in the Emergency Department (ED) are at an increased risk of infection during the airway management of patients with known or suspected Emerging Viral Diseases (EVD) like Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The primary route for transmission of the virus from an infected patient to the ED staff is due to aerosolized droplets, and the transmission risk is high despite wearing adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). There are limited evidence-based guidelines for airway management during these viral infections, especially with a focus on the principles of airway management in a busy, fast-paced ED. This article provides an overview of the principles of airway management in suspected or confirmed EVD patients, including COVID-19, particularly in the context of ED, and also considering strategies in resource limited setting. These principles should be adapted to suit your local department and hospital policy on airway management as well as national guidelines.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Based on the severity of thrombocytopenia, patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) are at an increased risk of mucocutaneous or major bleeding. DISCUSSION: There has been an increased risk of ITP after administration of various vaccines like influenza, measles-mumps-rubella, hepatitis B, and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis. The pathogenesis of vaccine-related thrombocytopenia is not completely clear and is probably caused by molecular mimicry. Till date, there have been few reported cases of thrombocytopenia in the pharmacovigilance databases after patients received the Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccines. CONCLUSION: Emergency physicians should be aware of the occurrence of vaccine-induced ITP in patients who present with bleeding manifestations, especially after the current boost in COVID-19 vaccination drive worldwide.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Measles , Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic , COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19 Vaccines/adverse effects , Humans , Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic/chemically induced , Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic/epidemiology , Vaccination/adverse effectsABSTRACT
The ongoing global pandemic of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health emergency. It has not only affected the general population, but has also caused psychological distress in the frontline health care workers (HCWs). It is crucial to understand the psychological impact of the COVID-19 on the frontline HCWs. The overall well-being and resilience of HCWs are key determinants to maintain an optimal healthcare response for appropriate patient management as well as to achieve good patient outcomes. This article summarizes the various risk factors as well as strategies that can be adopted to reduce the impact of stress on these frontline HCWs. This will help guide institutional as well as national policies and interventions to maintain their psychological well-being.