We describe a case of a 29-year-old man from Pakistan who presented with progressive neurologic symptoms over 1 week and was found to have a right parietal cerebral abscess. Neurosurgical drainage cultures showed growth of Actinomyces meyeri, Streptococcus intermedius, and Parvimonas micra. An abscessed molar was identified as the likely port of entry and was extracted. The patient was treated with metronidazole, vancomycin, and doxycycline because of prior anaphylaxis to penicillin. At 6-month follow-up, repeat magnetic resonance imaging showed no signs of residual abscess. Culture-independent identification techniques (e.g., ribosomal sequencing) increasingly identify Actinomyces meyeri as a causative agent and significant pathogen in spontaneous brain abscesses. As understanding about Actinomyces meyeri’s prevalence and pathogenesis improves, questions arise about optimal treatment strategy, which we discuss based on a literature review.

Patient: Male, 61Final Diagnosis: Strongyloides stercolaris-associated diarrheaSymptoms: Diarrhea • epigastric pain • nausea • weight lossMedication: IvermectinClinical Procedure: Colonic biopsiesSpecialty: Infectious DiseasesObjective:Rare diseaseBackground:Strongyloides stercoralis infection is endemic in subtropical and tropical regions but is reported rather sporadically in temperate countries. In the USA, the highest rates of infection are from the southeastern states, predominantly among immigrants. There is paucity of case reports on S. stercoralis infection among HIV-infected patients who were born and raised in the USA.Case Report:A 61-year-old male with known HIV infection (CD4 count: 235 cells/uL, undetectable HIV RNA, on antiretroviral therapy) presented with a 3-month history of diarrhea. He was initially diagnosed to have diarrhea secondary to norovirus and later with Escherichia coli. He was treated with levofloxacin but the diarrhea persisted. Stool PCR, Clostridium difficile enzyme-linked immunoassay, cryptosporidium and giardia antigen, cyclospora and isospora smear, and fecal microscopy were all negative. Peripheral blood eosinophil count was 1,000 eosinophils/mcL. Colonic biopsies revealed fragments of S. stercoralis larvae within the crypts. The patient was treated with ivermectin with improvement of symptoms. Social history revealed that he was born and raised in the northeastern USA. He was a daily methamphetamine user and engaged in anal sex with men. He denied travel to endemic areas, except for a visit to Japan more than 30 years ago.Conclusions:Our case highlights that S. stercoralis may be an underdiagnosed/under-reported cause of chronic diarrhea among HIV-infected patients. What makes this case peculiar is that the patient was born and raised in the continental USA, absence of recent travel to endemic areas, and relatively high CD4 counts. Parasitic infections, such as S. stercoralis, should be considered among HIV-infected patients with persistent diarrhea and eosinophilia regardless of ethnicity or recent travel history.

Increasing number of medical tourists travel internationally for cosmetic procedures. Lipotourism is a form of medical tourism becoming popular among patients of developed countries due to the cost efficiency of cosmetic procedures when performed in developing nations. There is a paucity of data on quality, safety, and risks involved with these surgeries. Many cases of infections have been documented in patients following cosmetic surgeries in developing countries. We present a case of a 34-year-old female who underwent abdominoplasty in Dominican Republic that was complicated with development of multiple abdominal wall abscesses due to infection from rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM). In the absence of clear treatment guidelines, she was treated with a combination of intermittent surgical drainage and prolonged antibiotic course. This case is of interest as more than one species of RGM was isolated from the same patient. Our case highlights the fact that identification of these organisms can be difficult requiring referral of samples to specialized laboratories and treatment duration can last several months, which is determined by clinical and microbiological response.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy is a cause of pregnancy loss and multiple clinical and neurological anomalies in children. This systematic review aimed to assess the effect of ZIKV exposure in utero on the long-term neurodevelopment of normocephalic children born to women with ZIKV infection in pregnancy. This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We performed a random effects meta-analysis to estimate the cross-study prevalence of neurodevelopmental delays in children using the Bayley Scales for Infant and Toddler Development (BSID-III). The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane’s Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Full-text reviews were performed for 566 articles, and data were extracted from 22 articles corresponding to 20 studies. Nine articles including data from 476 children found 6.5% (95% CI: 4.1–9.3) of infants and children to have any type of non-language cognitive delay; 29.7% (95% CI: 21.7–38.2) to have language delay; and 11.5% (95% CI: 4.8–20.1) to have any type of motor delay. The pooled estimates had a high level of heterogeneity; thus, results should be interpreted with caution. Larger prospective studies that include a non-exposed control group are needed to confirm whether ZIKV exposure in utero is associated with adverse child neurodevelopmental outcomes.

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We report an immunocompromised patient in Alabama, USA, 75 years of age, with relapsing fevers and pancytopenia who had spirochetemia after a tick bite. We identified Borrelia lonestari by using PCR, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. Increasing clinical availability of molecular diagnostics might identify B. lonestari as an emerging tickborne pathogen.

The impacts of climate change on global health and populations are far-reaching, yet they disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, thereby exacerbating disparities. As humanity reckons with the emergency of climate change, our global health community needs to contend with our own contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. We know that transformation is possible and that climate action is the antidote to the existential challenge. As a global health community, we have an immense opportunity, responsibility, and commitment to lead, support, inspire, and empower climate action, research, and innovation that align deeply with our mission and core values.

The pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) campaign in Spain focuses on men who have sex with men, with female sex workers (FSWs) representing just 0.2% of PrEP users in 2022. This cross-sectional study investigated the individual, occupational, social, and structural determinants of intention to use oral PrEP and condom use among 102 cisgender FSWs in Madrid through convenience sampling. Most FSWs worked in the street (71.6%); and 25.5% used condoms inconsistently. PrEP awareness was low (9.8%) but intention to use PrEP was high (72.5%). Intention to use oral PrEP was significantly associated with feeling protected against HIV by taking PrEP, and perceiving insufficient protection by condom use alone. Inconsistent condom use was significantly associated with frequent heroin/cocaine use, having clients who inject drugs, and willingness to take PrEP in spite of it not protecting 100% against HIV infection. Interventions are needed to increase PrEP awareness and uptake among FSWs in Spain.