Chromosome and Plasmid Sequences of Pantoea sp. Strain SOD02 Isolated from an Urban Freshwater Stream.

After isolating Pantoea sp. strain SOD02 from an urban freshwater stream in Providence, RI, we used PacBio RSII data for de novo assembly and Illumina MiSeq data for polishing. This yielded complete circular sequences for a 4,227,027-bp chromosome with 54.7% GC and a 926,844-bp plasmid with 54.0% GC.

A review of common dermatologic disorders of the external ear.

Skin disorders of the external ear are common. Although audiologists will not necessarily treat these conditions, it is important for them to be aware of these disorders and refer patients to a specialist in some instances. This report summarizes eight of the most commonly encountered skin conditions with an emphasis on recognition and appropriate referral. The cutaneous disorders of the external ear discussed in the article are divided into benign, premalignant, and malignant groups.

Chronic disseminated cutaneous blastomycosis in an 11-year old, with a brief review of the literature.

Chronic disseminated cutaneous blastomycosis is rare in children. We discuss an 11-year-old immunocompetent boy who presented with a history of persistent and multiple skin lesions of >1 year's duration. These lesions proved to be secondary to chronic Blastomyces dermatitidis infection. Complete resolution of clinical disease occurred after a 6-month course of oral itraconazole. We also present a brief review of the literature focusing on the epidemiology, manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric blastomycosis.

Full-thickness thoracic laminar erosion after posterior spinal fusion associated with late-presenting infection.

STUDY DESIGN: A case report describes unilateral complete laminar erosion of the caudal thoracic spine and late-presenting infection in a patient 10 years after anteroposterior reconstruction for scoliosis. OBJECTIVE: To present an unusual but significant complication that may occur after implantation of spinal instrumentation. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The reported patient presented with a deep infection and persistent back pain 10 years after successful anteroposterior reconstruction for adult idiopathic scoliosis. Delayed onset infections after implantation of spinal instrumentation are infrequent, yet when present, often require hardware removal. METHODS: The case of a 51-year-old woman who underwent irrigation and debridement for a late-presenting infection and removal of posterior hardware 10 years after her index procedure is presented. Interoperatively, it was noted that full-thickness laminar erosion was present from T4 to T12. RESULTS: The patient was taken to the operating room for wound irrigation, debridement, and hardware removal. It was discovered that a Cotrel-Dubousset rod placed on the convexity of the curve had completely eroded through the lamina of T7-T12. Infectious material was found along the entire length of both the convex and concave Cotrel-Dubousset rods. Intraoperative cultures grew Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes. Intravenous and oral antibiotics were administered, resulting in resolution of the infection and preoperative pain. CONCLUSIONS: The exact role of late-presenting infection with regard to the laminar erosion and rod migration seen in this case remains to be elucidated. However, the authors believe the primary cause of bony erosion was mechanical in origin. Regardless, most spine surgeons will treat many patients who have had posterior spinal implants and will perform hardware removal on a significant number of these patients during their careers. A full-thickness laminar erosion exposes the spinal cord to traumatic injury during hardware removal and debridement. This case is presented as a cautionary note to help surgeons become cognizant of a potentially devastating complication.