Epidemiological characteristics and real-world treatment outcomes of hepatitis C among HIV/HCV co-infected patients in Myanmar: A prospective cohort study.

Background and Aims: In Myanmar, public sector treatment programs for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection were nonexistent until June 2017. WHO highlights the importance of simplification of HCV service delivery through task-shifting among health workers and decentralization to the primary health care level. Between November 2016 and November 2017, a study was conducted to describe the epidemiological data and real-world outcomes of treating HIV/HCV coinfected patients with generic direct acting antiviral (DAA) based regimens in the three HIV clinics run by nonspecialist medical doctors in Myanmar. Methods: HCV co-infection among people living with HIV (PLHIV) from two clinics in Yangon city and one clinic in Dawei city was screened by rapid diagnostic tests and confirmed by testing for viral RNA. Nonspecialist medical doctors prescribed sofosbuvir and daclatasvir based regimens (with or without ribavirin) for 12 or 24 weeks based on the HCV genotype and liver fibrosis status. Sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12) was assessed to determine cure. Results: About 6.5% (1417/21,777) of PLHIV were co-infected with HCV. Of 864 patients enrolled in the study, 50.8% reported history of substance use, 27% history of invasive medical procedures and 25.6% history of incarceration. Data on treatment outcomes were collected from 267 patients of which 257 (96.3%) achieved SVR12, 7 (2.6%) failed treatment, 2 (0.7%) died and 1 (0.4%) became loss to follow-up. Conclusion: The study results support the integration of hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment with DAA-based regimens into existing HIV clinics run by nonspecialist medical doctors in a resource-limited setting. Epidemiological data on HIV/HCV co-infection call for comprehensive HCV care services among key populations like drug users and prisoners in Yangon and Dawei.

Scoping review protocol on maternal, newborn and child health research in Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: There has been a tremendous reduction in maternal and child mortality in the last decade. However, a significant number of deaths still occur disproportionately in low-income country settings. Ethiopia is the second-most populous nation in sub-Saharan Africa with a high maternal mortality rate of 412 deaths per 100 000 live births and an under-five mortality rate of 55 per 1000 live births. This study presents a scoping review protocol to describe the current knowledge of maternal and child health in Ethiopia to identify gaps for prioritisation of future maternal, newborn and child health research. METHODS AND ANALYSES: A search strategy will be conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and the WHO African Index Medicus. Researchers will independently screen title and abstracts followed by full texts for inclusion. Study characteristics, research topics, exposures and outcomes will be abstracted from articles meeting inclusion criteria using standardised forms. Descriptive analysis of abstracted data will be conducted. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Data will be abstracted from published manuscripts and no additional ethical approval is required. The results of the review will be shared with maternal and child health experts in Ethiopia through stakeholder meetings to prioritise research questions. Findings will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication, in addition to national-level and global-level disseminations.

Fever as the Sole Presentation of Giant Cell Arteritis: A Near Miss.

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) presenting solely as fever is very rare. Usually, it manifests with typical features such as visual problems, headache, jaw claudication, or it can be associated with polymyalgia rheumatica. We present a case of a patient with GCA who presented only with prolonged fever. The cause of fever could not be initially identified in spite of a comprehensive workup. The patient was started on steroids for presumed GCA resulting in the resolution of fever. It is of paramount importance to consider GCA in the differential diagnosis of fever of unknown origin. Early diagnosis with effective treatment is crucial since the mortality rate remains high for untreated cases.

A Rare Case of Macrophage Activation Syndrome Presenting as the First Manifestation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) itself is a rare, potentially life-threatening complication of a rheumatic disease, mostly seen in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. It infrequently occurs in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and it is extremely rare to be the first presentation of SLE. In a study of 511 patients with SLE, 7 cases (1.4%) of MAS were identified. In all the cases, MAS was simultaneous to the presentation of SLE in this article, we report a case of a patient with MAS who presented with fever, rash, and high ferritin level up to 16911 ng/mL. A high degree of suspicion is required that high fever and rash can be clues to MAS. Early diagnosis is necessary since mortality rates remain high for untreated cases.

Update on systemic therapy for advanced cutaneous melanoma and recent development of novel drugs.

Malignant melanoma is generally chemo- and radio-resistant, and patients with advanced melanoma have a poor prognosis. However, with our increased understanding of the checkpoint immune molecules and genetic alterations of melanoma cells, more effective immunotherapy, such as anti CTLA4 antibody and anti PD-1 antibodies, and targeted drug therapy, such as BRAF inhibitors and MEK inhibitors, have been developed, resulting in improved overall survival and quality of life of patients with advanced melanoma. In addition, emerging technologies to develop prognostic and predictive biomarkers for response to systemic therapy could help clinicians make more accurate assessments of the disease and formulate more effective treatment plans. In this review, current standard systemic therapy options and recently developed novel drugs for advanced melanoma are discussed.

Concurrent babesiosis and serological evidence of Lyme disease in a young patient.

Human babesiosis co-infected with Lyme disease in a young patient is an important condition. Here, we describe a case of a 39-year-old male patient with concurrent babesiosis and Lyme disease. Co-infections of tick borne diseases are often difficult to diagnose and underreported, and resulting in significant morbidity and mortality to patients. While co-infections have been infrequently described, it is of paramount importance that clinicians should be able to diagnose early and treat them effectively according to the patient geographical area and history of tick bite.

Non-necrotizing colonic granuloma induced by schistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis is an important parasitic disease with various clinical presentations caused by trematode blood flukes. It can present with asymptomatic, chronic colonic ulcerations, strictures, or inflammatory mass causing bowel obstruction. Intestinal polyps are uncommon and induced by antigens released from the schistosome eggs that trigger a cell-mediated inflammatory response with granuloma formation involving T cells, macrophages, and necrosis. This is very relevant while evaluating chronic intermittent gastrointestinal symptoms and eosinophilia in an immigrant patient from endemic areas of schistosomiasis. Here, we describe a case of chronic intestinal schistosomiasis which was found to have schistosomiasis-induced colonic polyp with non-necrotizing granuloma. With increase in immigrant population from the endemic areas of schistosomiasis in the United States, physicians should be aware of this disease and its various manifestations. Gastroenterologist should keep this as one of the differentials for colonic polyps. Diagnosis and treatment in time prevents further progression of the disease and its complications.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum, pneumoretroperitoneum, and cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema after repeatedly and forcefully blowing into a bottle.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is an uncommon, self-limiting condition associated with increased intra-thoracic pressure resulting in alveolar rupture. Search of the literature revealed no detailed case report about a 26-year-old psychiatric patient who repeatedly and forcefully blew air into a bottle for 5 days resulting in a combined condition of spontaneous pneumoretroperitoneum, pneumomediastinum, and cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema. It is crucial to find a primary source and treat appropriately. Psychiatric patients may have psychotic behaviors mimicking Valsalva's maneuver that increases intra-thoracic pressure and causing SPM. Optimal medications should be given to control psychotic behaviors. Family members and caregivers should be explained about this unusual behavior so that they can prevent this rare condition.

Severe Anemia with Hemoperitoneum as a First Presentation for Multinodular Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Rare Event in Western Countries.

Hemoperitoneum due to spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma is a life-threatening and rare condition in western countries with an incidence of less than 3% because of early detection of cirrhosis and neoplasm. Here, we describe a case of a 66-year-old male patient with altered mental status with hemorrhagic shock. Computed tomography scan of abdomen revealed hemoperitoneum and mass in liver. Patient underwent resection of liver tumor and biopsy revealed multinodular hepatocellular carcinoma. A high degree of suspicion is required where severe anemia and hemoperitoneum can be a first presentation for hepatocellular carcinoma especially in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. Early diagnosis is crucial since mortality rates remain high for untreated cases.

A Rare Presentation of Peritoneal Tuberculosis Mimicking Malignancy.

Our search of literature revealed combined elevations of serum cancer antigen 125 levels and rheumatoid factor levels in a patient with peritoneal tuberculosis has rarely been reported. Thus, we describe the case of a 63-year-old female with large abdominal ascites and malignancy was ruled out with biopsy. High levels of serum cancer antigen and rheumatoid factor were noted. Physicians should be aware that tuberculosis infection could induce elevation of rheumatoid factor levels in the absence of rheumatologic symptoms or disease. A high index of suspicion is required because peritoneal tuberculosis is a great mimicker of other abdominal pathology, especially intraabdominal malignancies and can mislead physicians to undergo unnecessary interventions.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus schleiferi Subspecies coagulans Infection in a Patient With Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

To our knowledge and literature search, Staphylococcus schleiferi subspecies coagulans infection in human beings has rarely been described in the medical literature. Furthermore, we believe that this is a first detailed case report of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus schleiferi subspecies coagulans infection in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. Because of the possible association of Staphylococcus schleiferi infection and immunosuppression, any isolates of this bacterium in human beings should be presumed to be pathogenic, unless proven otherwise.

Drug fever induced by piperacillin/tazobactam in an elderly patient with underlying human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Our search of the literature revealed no detailed case reports about drug fever induced by piperacillin/tazobactam in a patient with HIV infection although there were a few case reports about drug fever due to piperacillin/tazobactam with other comorbidities. A 63-year-old male patient with HIV positive was admitted for acute cholecystitis. He was started on piperacillin/tazobactam. For the next 8 days, he had intermittent fever up to 103°F (39.4°C) with relative bradycardia although he showed clinical improvement. There was no laboratory or imaging findings suggestive of another infectious source and drug fever was suspected. The antibiotics were stopped and after 48 hours no fever was observed until the day of discharge. Piperacillin/tazobactam can induce fever in patients with cystic fibrosis and in patients with other conditions. Drug fever may be more prevalent in patients with HIV infection. It has no characteristic pattern and may not be associated with eosinophilia.

Type 1 Brugada pattern ECG due to supra-therapeutic phenytoin level.

Brugada syndrome is an inherited arrhythmogenic disease, characterised by a coved-type ST segment elevation in right precordial leads and an increased risk of sudden cardiac death due to ventricular arrhythmia. To unmask or exacerbate a Brugada ECG pattern, class IA or IC antiarrhythmic agents are used, and clinicians can predict sudden cardiac death in a high-risk patient. However, phenytoin, one of the class IB agents, may induce a Brugada pattern ECG at a supra-therapeutic level and this association has rarely been reported. We describe a case of a patient with a phenytoin level about twice as high as the therapeutic level, which led to the emergence of a type 1 Brugada pattern ECG. Awareness should be made between this important association of supra-therapeutic phenytoin level and type 1 Brugada pattern ECG because symptomatic Brugada syndrome can lead to sudden cardiac death.

Concurrent central nervous system infective pathology in a severely immunocompromised patient.

To our knowledge and literature search, concurrent cryptococcal meningitis and neurosyphilis in a patient have rarely been reported. Here, we report a 37-year-old male with HIV infection presented with headache and dizziness for 5 days along with memory difficulty and personality changes for about 1 week. During the hospital stay, cryptococcal meningitis was confirmed with positive cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) cryptococcal antigen titer (1:320) and positive CSF culture. Diagnosis of neurosyphilis was made based upon CSF white blood cell count of 85 cells/µL, with CSF total protein of 87 mg/dL, reactive CSF treponemal antibody, and fluorescent treponemal antibody. The patient was treated with amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, and benzathine penicillin G, and the patient was recovered and discharged. HIV patients are at high risk of developing severe infections of the central nervous system. Awareness should be made not only to single infection but also for dual pathology for a better and life-saving management.

Type 1 Brugada pattern electrocardiogram induced by hypokalemia.

Coved-type ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads are the characteristics of Brugada syndrome, an inherited arrhythmogenic ion channel disease, which could lead to ventricular arrhythmia and sudden death. Hypokalemia alone may induce Type 1 Brugada pattern electrocardiogram (EKG), and the association has rarely been reported. We describe a patient with hypokalemia 2.9 mmol/L and the appearance of new right bundle branch block pattern with coved ST-segment elevations with inverted T wave in leads V1-V2. Serum potassium was corrected and repeated EKG 6 h later revealed disappearance of Type 1 Brugada pattern. Although there is no definite value of serum potassium level that can induce Brugada pattern EKG, hypokalemia may unmask Type 1 Brugada EKG pattern. Awareness of its appearance should be made by all physicians since patients with a family history of arrhythmia or sudden cardiac death (SCD) are at the high risk of developing SCD.

Cocaine-induced vasculitis with cutaneous manifestation: A recurrent episode after 2 years.

Cocaine is a popular recreational drug in the United States, and up to 70% of the seized cocaine contains levamisole which is an antihelminthic that can cause cutaneous vasculitis with necrosis and positive antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs). Here, we report a unique case of recurrent cocaine-induced vasculitis in a patient who smokes cocaine for more than 20 years. A 38-year-old woman complained of painful erythematous rash in her right arm and right thigh which appeared some hours after smoking cocaine. Physical examination revealed tender, erythematous base, retiform purpura with necrosis and bullae. Serological test showed high atypical perinuclear ANCA titer of 1:320 and antimyeloperoxidase antibody level of 20.4 U/mL. Cocaine-induced vasculitis should be one of the differential diagnoses in cocaine abusers who present with painful rash and areas of necrosis. Early diagnosis is important since it is an emerging public health concern.

Wild ginseng grows in Myanmar.

Ginseng, the underground parts of plants of Panax species, has been used in oriental traditional medicine for centuries. Unfortunately, because of extensive exploitation over thousands of years, the natural source of these species has been almost exhausted. Recently, we have found a wild ginseng growing in Myanmar. Here, by a combination of chemical composition study and gene sequence analysis, we unambiguously demonstrate that the wild ginseng is actually P. zingiberensis, commonly known as ginger ginseng. This ginseng was an indigenous to the southwestern China. However, now it is seriously threatened to brink of extinction and is put on the highest level of protection in China. Therefore, an appropriate protection measure is highly recommended to preserve this valuable resource, since this Myanmar ginseng might turn out to be the last P. zingiberensis, which could ever be seen in the planet.