Clostridium septicum is a highly virulent pathogen which is associated with colorectal malignancy, hematological malignancy, immunosuppression, diabetes mellitus and cyclical neutropenia. Presentation may include disseminated clostridial infection in the form of septicemia, gas gangrene, and mycotic aortic aneurysms. We report the case of a 62-year-old female presenting with necrotizing fasciitis of her left thigh and subsequently developing rectal bleeding. While she was being treated with empiric antibiotics, her blood culture was found to be positive for C. septicum. We would like to highlight the importance of early colorectal cancer screening in minimizing the occurrence of undetected tumors which provide an optimal growth environment for C. septicum, leading to localized and/or remote infection.
Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare condition, which accounts for approximately 4% of all human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated non-Hodgkin lymphomas. PEL has a predilection for body cavities and occurs in the pleural space, pericardium, and peritoneum. Without treatment, the median survival is approximately 2–3 months, and with chemotherapy, the median survival is approximately 6 months. We describe the case of a 47-year-old male with HIV and Kaposi’s sarcoma who presented with complaints of abdominal pain and distension and was subsequently diagnosed with PEL. Despite limited clinical data being available, chemotherapy with dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin (EPOCH) has proven to increase survival rates in patients with this condition.
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.