ABSTRACT
We describe a case of 85-year-old man who presented to the Emergency Department with sudden dyspnea. He had a past medical history of cardiomyopathy and radiography and nonenhanced computed tomography (CT) of the chest showed pulmonary edema. Despite intravenous diuretic therapy, there was no clinical improvement. Cardiac CT was then performed showing a solid pulmonary nodular lesion with intralesional cavitations, ground-glass opacities, and peripheral vascularization. CT-guided needle lung biopsy yielded a diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener granulomatosis). Medical treatment with cyclophosphamide and prednisone produced rapid symptomatic improvement and complete resolution of the radiological findings. This case demonstrates the challenges in making this diagnosis in an elderly patient with heart disease. We found very few documented cases where there was onset of granulomatosis with polyangiitis at this age.
ABSTRACT
AIMS: Monitoring the occurrence of the human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus in a mussel farm located in the lagoon of Varano (Italy). METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 72 samples of mussel, water and sediment, collected from two locations of Varano lagoon in the Gargano peninsula, during a 7-month survey, were analysed. Isolation and PCR characterization of six V. vulnificus environmental genotype strains revealed that this pathogen was isolated when with T was above 22 °C and salinity ranged between 22.7 and 26.4. No significant correlation of the occurrence of V. vulnificus with water pH or salinity was observed. Moreover, 8% of mussel samples were found to be contaminated by V. vulnificus. All of that positive mussel samples originated from the same sampling station. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that warmer season are risky to eat raw or undercooked bivalve molluscs in the local area. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: To increase knowledge about environmental conditions that may affect the occurrence of waterborne pathogen Vibrio vulnificus in seafood.
