Melioidosis after brief exposure: a serologic survey in US Marines.

Melioidosis is endemic to Southeast Asia. The incidence of infection in visitors is not well known, especially for short visits. Thirteen (38%) of 34 previously unexposed US Marines had positive serology after 2 weeks in Thailand, and one developed acute disseminated disease. Asymptomatic infection with Burkholderia pseudomallei may be common, even from brief exposures.

Cryptococcal meningitis manifesting as a large abdominal cyst in a HIV-infected patient with a CD4 count greater than 400 cells/mm(3).

Cryptococcal meningitis usually occurs among HIV-positive patients with CD4 counts less than 100 cells/mm(3) and manifests as headaches, fevers, and mental status changes. We present an unusual case of cryptococcal meningitis in a 34-year-old HIV-positive man presenting as a large abdominal cyst at the ventriculoperitoneal shunt site despite receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for more than 5 years and having a CD4 count more than 400 cells/mm(3).

Erectile dysfunction and hypogonadism among men with HIV.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) and hypogonadism are increasingly recognized conditions, however, the prevalence and etiologies of these conditions among HIV-infected men remain unclear. We studied 300 HIV-infected men who completed standardized questionnaires regarding sexual function and hypogonadal symptoms. An early morning testosterone test was performed; patients with a low serum testosterone level (defined by <300 ng/dL), underwent additional blood tests to determine the etiology of the hypogonadism. The participants' mean age was 39 years (range, 19-72); 61% were Caucasian; 24%, African American; 9%, Hispanic; and 5% other. Participants had been HIV-positive for a mean of 9 years (range, 0.5-20) with a mean CD4 count of 522 cells/mm(3) (range, 1-1531). Sixty percent were receiving antiretroviral therapy. ED was reported by 61.4%; of those with ED, 32% did not have a rigid enough erection for penetration, and 46% were unable to sustain an erection for the completion of intercourse. In the multivariate analysis, increasing age (odds ratio [OR] 1.4 for a 5-year increment, p < 0.001) and depression (OR 2.64, p < 0.0001) were associated with ED. A higher current CD4 count was protective (OR 0.80 for each 100 cells/mm(3), p = 0.004). Only 25% of patients with ED had utilized a phosphodiesterase-5-inhibitor for treatment. Seventeen percent of the 300 men were hypogonadal; there was no correlation between hypogonadism and ED. Increasing age and a higher body mass index (BMI) were positively associated with hypogonadism, while smoking was negatively associated (OR 0.44, p = 0.02). All patients with low testosterone had secondary hypogonadism. There was no association between ED or hypogonadism with the current, past, or cumulative use of HIV medications.

Unusual presentations of coccidioidomycosis: a case series and review of the literature.

Coccidioidomycosis is an emerging fungal infection of the southwestern United States. Although Coccidioides species infections are usually asymptomatic or result in a mild, flu-like illness, disseminated disease may occur in 1% of cases. While extrapulmonary disease usually involves the skin, central nervous system, bones, or joints, coccidioidomycosis is a great imitator, with the ability to infect any tissue or organ. Cases may be diagnosed outside of endemic areas, hence providers worldwide should be aware of the broad range of manifestations of coccidioidomycosis. We present a case series of unusual presentations of coccidioidomycosis including serous cavity infections with cases of pericarditis, empyema, and peritonitis, as well as unusual abscesses involving the retropharyngeal space and gluteal musculature. We provide a complete review of the literature and summarize the clinical presentations, diagnoses, and treatments of these rare forms of disseminated coccidioidomycosis.

Mycotic pseudoaneurysm and purulent pericarditis attributable to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is now a common isolate of community-acquired staphylococcal infections. We present the first case of concomitant mycotic pseudoaneurysm and purulent pericarditis caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus. The isolate was found to be SCCmec type I, sequence type 8, and to carry the PVL gene. The patient was successfully treated with a combined surgical and medical approach.

Efficacy of Cyto-Chex blood preservative for delayed manual CD4 testing using Dynal T4 Quant CD4 test among HIV-infected persons in Zambia.

BACKGROUND: Manual CD4 tests such as Dynal T4 Quant (Dynabeads, Dynal Biotech, Oslo, Norway) are less expensive alternatives to flow cytometry in resource-limited countries. Whereas blood preservatives have proven useful for stabilizing blood samples to allow delayed CD4 testing by flow cytometry, they have not been verified for manual tests. A method for preservation of blood prior to manual CD4 testing is needed for long-distance transport or sample batching. METHODS: Blood from HIV-positive Zambian military beneficiaries was mixed (1:1) with Cyto-Chex (Streck Laboratories, La Vista, NE) blood preservative, and the blood was stored at refrigerated, ambient, and incubator (37 degrees C) temperatures prior to Dynabeads CD4 testing at 0, 3, 6, and 9 days after collection. Baseline flow cytometry and Dynabeads testing without preservative were performed for comparison. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patient samples were analyzed. Dynabeads vs. flow cytometry had a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.84. There was excellent correlation (r = 0.96) between baseline Dynabeads testing and Cyto-Chex-preserved samples. Refrigerated samples showed strong correlation with baseline Dynabeads (r = 0.93-0.95) on days 3, 6, and 9 without decline in CD4 count (P = 0.73). Samples stored at ambient temperature yielded inferior results (r = 0.76-0.81), with a significant decline in CD4 count by day 3 (P < 0.001). The incubator arm had especially poor correlation (r = 0.30-0.49). CONCLUSIONS: Addition of Cyto-Chex to peripheral blood (1:1) adequately preserves refrigerated blood samples for up to 9 days for subsequent testing with Dynabeads CD4 test. Cyto-Chex, however, cannot be recommended for delayed Dynabeads CD4 testing with storage at 37 degrees C or ambient temperatures in tropical areas similar to the site of this study.

Coccidioidomycosis of the prostate gland: two cases and a review of the literature.

Coccidioidomycosis prostatitis is an uncommon presentation of disseminated coccidioidomycosis, a fungal disease endemic in the southwestern United States. Coccidioidomycosis prostatitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient from an endemic region with evidence of persistent sterile pyuria, prostatitis, or granulomatous disease of the prostate. Diagnosis is established by biopsy, and treatment includes either an azole or amphotericin B. We present the twelfth and thirteenth reported cases and provide a review of the literature.