Streptococcus constellatus is a member of Streptococcus milleri group which is a subgroup of Viridans streptococci, first described by Guthof in 1956 after being isolated from dental abscesses. S. constellatus, a gram positive, non-sporing, non-motile, catalase negative cocci, is the normal flora of the oropharyngeal, gastrointestinal and urogenital tract. It is not a commonly encountered pathogen but has a propensity to form abscesses and cause bacteremia in the immunocompromised patient. Here, we report a 78-year-old man with sepsis due to Streptococcus constellatus liver abscess. The patient had a history of hypertension, stroke, benign prostatic hyperplasia, vascular dementia and myocardial infarction status post coronary artery bypass grafting. There has been no particular link between any of these conditions to S. constellatus. However, immunocompromised status predisposes to fulminant infection and formation of abscesses. The patient was febrile with a temperature of 99.1°F, blood pressure of 143/73 mmHg and the heart rate (HR) of 98. Labs revealed a leukocytosis of 16.90 K/uL, hemoglobin 11.8 g/dL, hematocrit 35.8%, total bilirubin 1.7 mg/dL, direct bilirubin 1.0 mg/dL, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 44 IU/L, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 28 IU/L, alkaline phosphatase (ALKP) 176 IU/L and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was 290 IU/L. He was started on intravenous Maxipime and Unasyn which was switched to Rocephin and Clindamycin based on the Infectious disease recommendations. Metronidazole was also started and the serologies were sent for Entamoeba histolytica. Computerized tomography (CT) scan showed an abscess in the right lobe of the liver which was finally drained using an interventional radiology (IR)guided approach. The cultures from the fluid and blood yielded S. constellatus and thus Metronidazole was discontinued. The patient improved after a few days and the drainage catheter was pulled out and the patient discharged in stable condition.
In clinical practice, there are a lot of variations in disease manifestations. Diseases are constantly evolving, and one negative test cannot completely rule out a disease. Erythema multiforme (EM) is a common mucocutaneous disease that can be linked to a lot of etiologies, with the most common being herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and the use of various drugs. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a new virus, and traditionally it is not the first differential for EM eruptions. We report the case of a 52-year-old female patient with a history of multiple drug use, pneumonia-like symptoms, an initial negative viral panel for SARS-CoV-2, followed by a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) clinical course, and break-out of typical targetoid lesions of EM. Throughout her hospital stay, the patient maintained her oxygenation levels and improved clinically with steroids and symptomatic treatment. She regained her health and was counseled to quit smoking, alcohol, and opioid usage at the time of discharge from the hospital, and a regular follow-up with her primary care practitioner (PCP) was advised.
Castleman disease (CD) is a disorder characterized by lymphoid proliferation. It is not usually the first differential for pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) because of the extremely rare incidence worldwide. We report the case of a 24-year-old man with PUO for six months. He had been previously investigated for infective, rheumatological, and immunological causes. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis was considered as the most likely diagnosis because of his clinical presentation and locality. Based on this, he was given a trial of anti-tuberculous therapy. However, he did not show any signs of improvement despite being compliant with the medications. His condition was further complicated by the development of ascites. Upon treatment failure, the patient presented to our tertiary care hospital and was investigated for a possible revision of diagnosis. Based on clinical assessment and histopathology of the lymph nodes, he was diagnosed with idiopathic multicentric CD overlapping with systemic lupus erythematosus. He was started on azathioprine and prednisone and showed a positive response, indicated by a decreasing erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein. The patient continues to be healthy and in remission to date.
Pneumocephalus is defined as the presence of air inside the cranial vault. Benign and tension pneumocephalus are different ends of the same disease spectrum. Tension pneumocephalus leads to the formation of a pressure gradient, requiring emergent surgical decompression to prevent herniation of the intracranial structures. In this report, we present a rare case of tension pneumocephalus with essentially benign radiological findings secondary to a ruptured cholesteatoma. The patient was a 64-year-old woman with a history of end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis and hypertension. She presented to the emergency department (ED) with acute-onset weakness and decreased mentation. Physical exam findings were consistent with a cerebrovascular accident (CVA). CT scan and CT angiogram (CTA) were unremarkable for ischemia or hemorrhage but showed signs of free intracranial air, consistent with the diagnosis of pneumocephalus. After the activation of the code stroke, neurosurgery and neurology were consulted. Worsening respiratory status led to a decision to proceed with emergent intubation, but it was held based on the family’s decision to proceed with comfort measures. The patient’s status declined further within minutes and she died. Afterward, the case was discussed with the radiologist, who interpreted the cause as a cholesteatoma that had eroded through the temporal bone.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.