Pneumonia etiology

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare the diagnostic efficacy of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to traditional diagnostic methods in patients with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), elucidate the etiological spectrum of these infections, and explore the impact of mNGS on guiding antimicrobial therapy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 128 patients admitted to the Respiratory Department of Anqing 116 Hospital between July 2022 and July 2023...

Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic fungus typically causing pulmonary infection in immunocompromised persons. We present a case of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) in a patient with alcoholic hepatitis and underlying cirrhosis. PJP in patients with alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis is sparsely reported in literature. This condition carries a poor prognosis and high mortality. Clinicians need to recognize alcohol use resulting in liver damage as a significant etiological risk factor for PJP.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) are a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative malignancies that are very rarely seen in the lung. Although they generally have a favorable prognosis, the clinical symptoms and most efficient methods of diagnosis have not yet been clearly defined. This report highlights an interesting case wherein a 75-year-old male who presented with complaints of fever, cough, and generalized weakness for three weeks was diagnosed and treated as a case of pneumonia. He did not respond to conventional treatment with antibiotics and antipyretics...

We present the case of a lung transplant candidate under veno-venous membrane oxygenation assistance (VV ECMO) whose diagnosis of emphysema of undetermined etiology was redefined as Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) due to a scalp skin biopsy performed years after the beginning of his respiratory symptoms. A 20-year-old patient started three years before his admission with progressive dyspnea leading to a diagnosis of bullous emphysema of undetermined cause, which evolved into respiratory failure and evaluation for bilateral lung transplant...

BACKGROUND: Pyometra is a disease characterized by the collection of pus in the uterus. The clinical characteristics and etiology of pyometra have not been sufficiently described. In this study, we investigated the clinical characteristics, epidemiology, outcomes, and risk factors of septic shock in patients with pyometra. METHODS: Patients with pyometra admitted to one of four university-affiliated hospitals between January 2010 to August 2022 were enrolled. Pyometra cases associated with peripartum infection and surgical site infection were excluded...

INTRODUCTION: Microbial keratitis poses a significant threat to vision and is a common ocular infection. Its causative agents encompass a wide spectrum, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. The microbiological profile of microbial keratitis is influenced by factors such as patient demographics, geographical location, climate, and occupational hazards and evolves over time. METHODOLOGY: Corneal scrapings were collected from 75 patients with a provisional diagnosis of microbial keratitis...

BACKGROUND: This study aims to evaluate clinical and radiological characteristics of the patients with cough-induced rib fractures. METHODS: Between January 2008 and December 2022, a total of 90 patients (35 males, 55 females; mean age: 58±20 years; range, 20 to 92 years) who had cough-induced rib fractures were retrospectively analyzed. Patients' characteristics, findings of physical and radiological examination, and patients' outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Of the patients, 64% were postmenopausal, 37% had metabolic disease of the bone, and 21% had chronic cough...

Background Acute leukemia, characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of immature white blood cell precursors, poses significant challenges during induction chemotherapy, including the elevated risk of febrile neutropenia and its associated complications. Our study aims to explain the clinical and etiological parameters of these patients in a resource-limited setting. Methods This retrospective study focused on a total of 102 adult patients with acute leukemia who developed febrile neutropenia during the induction chemotherapy phase...

Abscesses represent the most prominent emerging problem in the red meat industry, leading to great economic constraints and public health hazards. Data on etiological agents present in these purulent lesions in Algeria are very scarce. The aim of this study was to identify the bacteria responsible for these abscesses and to determine their antibiotic susceptibility profiles. A total of 123 samples of abscesses from 100 slaughtered sheep and 23 slaughtered cattle were cultured in several media. A total of 114 bacterial isolates were cultured from 103 abscesses...

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a type of pneumonia caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. It can cause acute pulmonary and systemic inflammation, which can lead to death in severely ill patients. This study explores the potential reasons behind severe COVID-19 and its similarities to systemic autoimmune diseases. This study reviewed unbiased high-throughput gene expression datasets, including next-generation and single-cell RNA sequencing. A total of 27 studies and eight meta-analyses were reviewed. The studies indicated that severe COVID-19 is associated with the upregulation of genes involved in pro-inflammatory, interferon, and cytokine/chemokine pathways...

INTRODUCTION: SARS-CoV-2 infection usually presents similarly to other respiratory viral pathogens. Children and adolescents do not present as a group that is highly affected by the disease, having low infection rates. However, limited publications are associated with the findings of pneumonia in pediatric patients with COVID-19. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical and epidemiological aspects of children and adolescents hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 in a pre-Amazon region...

Introduction: Pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a type of interstitial pneumonia with complex etiology and high mortality, is characterized by progressive scarring of the alveolar interstitium and myofibroblastic lesions. In this study, we screened for potential biomarkers in PF and clarified the role of the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network in the inhibitory effect of SRL-4 on PF. Methods: Healthy male SPF SD rats were randomly divided into three groups, namely, CON, MOD, and SRL-4. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed to determine the biological functions of the target genes...

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics, distribution of isolates, prevailing patterns, and antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial keratitis (BK) in a Tertiary Referral Hospital located in Southwest China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 660 cases of bacterial keratitis occurring between January 2015 and December 2022. The demographic data, predisposing factors, microbial findings, and antibiotic sensitivity profiles were examined...

Pediatric dysphagia is a common condition encountered in clinical practice. We review the physiology and development of swallow, presentation, epidemiology, and etiology of dysphagia. Additionally, comorbidities, associated conditions, and medical management of dysphagia are discussed.

OBJECTIVE: Acute respiratory infections are a major global public health concern. However, there are few epidemiological studies investigating pathogens associated with respiratory tract infections in Guizhou Province, China. METHODS: We collected 17,850 blood samples from Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital between November 2018 and May 2023 to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of respiratory pathogens and their spread during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Guizhou Province...

BACKGROUND Bacterial meningitis is a serious and life-threatening condition that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. This retrospective study aimed to identify causes, presentation, and predictive factors for outcomes of community-acquired bacterial meningitis in 86 adults in Vilnius, Lithuania between 2018 and 2021. MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed a retrospective study of demographic, clinical, and laboratory records of 86 adult patients admitted to Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Clinics with a diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis during the period of 2018-2021...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: According to the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors, lower respiratory infections cause more than 2.3 million deaths globally, with a majority occurring in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia.Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major contributor to global mortality and morbidity. Understanding the prevalence and common bacterial causes of CAP is crucial for clinicians to accurately diagnose and improve patient satisfaction. The purpose of this systematic review was to report the pooled prevalence and common bacterial etiologies of CAP among adult patients in Ethiopia...

Coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, and blastomycosis are lower respiratory tract fungal infections whose signs and symptoms can resemble those of other respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia caused by bacterial or viral etiologies; this overlap in clinical presentation might lead to missed or delayed diagnoses. The causative fungi live in the environment, often in soil or plant matter. To describe the epidemiologic characteristics of cases of coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, and blastomycosis during the COVID-19 pandemic, CDC analyzed case surveillance data for 2019-2021...

BACKGROUND: Viruses are the leading etiology of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in children. However, there is limited knowledge on drivers of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases involving viruses. We aimed to identify factors associated with severity and prolonged hospitalization of viral SARI among children < 5 years in Burkina Faso. METHODS: Data were collected from four SARI sentinel surveillance sites during October 2016 through April 2019...

Children's and adults' rhinosinusitis are two diseases that have both similarities and differences in anatomy, epidemiology, causes, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment. At the same rhinosinusitis is one of the most common in otorhinolaryngology's practice, both in children and adults. The of adults paranasal sinuses (PNS) anatomy differs from children's PNS anatomy. Although ostiomeatal complex occlusion is recognized as a major cause of poor ventilation and drainage of the adult paranasal sinuses, it does not have a strong effect on pediatric rhinosinusitis, but adenoids play a key role...