Nosocomial Rhinocerebral Mucormycosis: Two Cases with a Temporal Relationship.

Mucormycosis is an unusual fungal infection that usually affects immunosuppressed patients. Small outbreaks of mucormycosis have been previously reported. We present two clinical cases of fatal rhinocerebral mucormycosis with a close temporal relationship between them and a possible nosocomial transmission: case 1 was a 75-year-old male with diabetes and COPD, treated with antibiotics and systemic corticosteroids, who developed rhinocerebral mucormycosis. Case 2 was an 88-year-old woman who was treated with systemic antibiotics and corticosteroids and developed the same infection after insertion of a nasogastric tube. Both patients concurred at the same time in our hospital, and healthcare staff was common to both of them. These cases, along with previously reported cases, highlight that, although infrequent, transmission of the fungus in the hospital environment is a real possibility that should be taken into account in order to initiate contact and air isolation precautions that could avoid nosocomial transmission of this infection.

Broncografía incidental / Incidental bronchography

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Manifestaciones otorrinolaringológicas de las vasculitis sistémicas / Otolaryngologic manifestations of systemic vasculitis

Las vasculitis sistémicas son un grupo muy heterogéneo de enfermedades de diversas etiologías y manifestaciones. En general, la clínica se deriva de la isquemia producida por la inflamación vascular de la cual depende el órgano afecto. Se clasifican según el consenso de la conferencia de Chapel Hill. Se pueden presentar con relativa frecuencia como manifestaciones otorrinolaringológicas tanto en su debut como a lo largo de su evolución, por lo tanto deben incluirse en el diagnóstico diferencial del especialista en otorrinolaringología en pacientes de difícil control o presentación atípica de manifestaciones ORL. Es nuestra intención revisar la clínica otorrinolaringológica más frecuente en cada una de estas enfermedades(AU)

Systemic vasculitis is a heterogeneous group of diseases of various aetiologies and manifestations. In general, the clinical results derive from ischemia caused by vascular inflammation, which depends on the organ affected. Such vasculitis cases are classified according to the classification of the Chapel Hill conference. They can present with relative frequency as ENT manifestations in both their debut and throughout their evolution. Consequently, the ENT specialist should include them in the differential diagnosis in patients with ENT manifestations that are difficult to control or of atypical presentation. Our objective was to review the most common ENT clinical signs and symptoms in each of these diseases(AU)

Otolaryngologic manifestations of systemic vasculitis.

Systemic vasculitis is a heterogeneous group of diseases of various aetiologies and manifestations. In general, the clinical results derive from ischemia caused by vascular inflammation, which depends on the organ affected. Such vasculitis cases are classified according to the classification of the Chapel Hill conference. They can present with relative frequency as ENT manifestations in both their debut and throughout their evolution. Consequently, the ENT specialist should include them in the differential diagnosis in patients with ENT manifestations that are difficult to control or of atypical presentation. Our objective was to review the most common ENT clinical signs and symptoms in each of these diseases.

Liver toxicity associated with antiretroviral therapy including efavirenz or ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors in a cohort of HIV/hepatitis C virus co-infected patients.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the frequency of grade 3 or 4 transaminase elevations (TEs) in HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected patients who started a three-antiretroviral drug regimen including efavirenz or a ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (PI/r) and the influence of pre-existing significant hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All pre-treated or treatment-naive HIV/HCV co-infected patients who started an antiretroviral regimen including two nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors along with efavirenz or a PI/r in seven Spanish centres from January 2007 to December 2009 were included in this prospective study. RESULTS: Of 262 patients included in this study, 76 (29%) individuals began antiretroviral therapy (ART) including efavirenz and 186 (71%) a PI/r-based combination. The median (interquartile) follow-up was 14.0 (6.2-23.7) months. A total of 20 (7.6%) patients presented grade 3-4 TEs. Four (1.5%) subjects discontinued ART due to this adverse event. Grade 3-4 TEs were observed in 5 (6.6%) subjects receiving efavirenz and 15 (8.1%) treated with PI/r (P = 0.681). Three (6.5%) patients in the efavirenz group with significant fibrosis developed grade 3-4 TEs versus 2 (8.7%) without pre-existing significant fibrosis (P = 0.743). In the PI/r group, the corresponding figures were 10 (8.8%) and 5 (9.3%), respectively (P = 0.931). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of grade 3-4 TEs associated with efavirenz-based ART combinations under clinical practice conditions is low and similar to that found in patients receiving PI/r currently used in HIV/HCV co-infected patients. The baseline fibrosis stage does not have an impact on the development of TEs caused by these antiretroviral drugs in this population.