Publications by authors named "Alicia Hidron"

We documented two stages of bone involvement due to syphilis in two adult patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Bony lesions of secondary versus tertiary syphilis cannot be differentiated on clinical or radiologic grounds alone. Given the rarity of this clinical presentation, there is no consensus on treatment duration and related outcomes.

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Introduction: Outcomes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) have improved with antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, whether the outcomes have improved in low- and middle-income countries, paralleling those of high-income countries is unknown. The objective of this study was to describe a cohort of HIV-infected patients admitted to ICU in a middle-income country and identify the risk factors associated with mortality.

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(1) Background: Few reports of necrotizing pneumonia in patients with COVID-19 have been published. We have observed an elevated incidence at two hospitals in our city, suggesting this complication is not uncommon, and may have been overlooked. (2) Methods: This article presents a retrospective, descriptive cohort study that was undertaken from 22 March 2020 to 15 June 2021 in two tertiary care hospitals in Medellín, Colombia.

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Article Synopsis
  • Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic infection caused by the parasite Rhinosporidium seeberi, mainly presenting as nasal or eye-related growths, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions.
  • A systematic study analyzed cases from 1896 to 2019, reviewing 1,994 reports and focusing on 286 cases in the Americas, with the highest occurrences in Brazil and Colombia.
  • The review highlights significant differences between American and Asian cases, including a higher incidence of ocular issues and increased rates of recurrence after surgical treatment.
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Background: Tuberculosis is one of the most common causes of hospitalisation in patients with HIV. Despite this, hospital outcomes of patients with this co-infection have rarely been described since antiretroviral therapy became widely available.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of HIV-infected adult patients hospitalised with TB in six referral hospitals in Medellin, Colombia, from August 2014 to July 2015.

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Introduction: Concomitant infections during the debut or relapse of systemic lupus erythematosus are a common scenario, due to multiple mechanisms including the use of immunosuppressive drugs and autoimmunity per se. Invasive fungal infections are rare in systemic lupus erythematosus and are associated with profound immunosuppressed states. Disseminated histoplasmosis in patients with lupus has rarely been reported and the concomitant presentation of both entities is exceptional.

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Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has become a common cause of opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts and critical care patients. The most common disease manifestations are pneumonia and bacteremia, with a mortality ranging from 9% to 60.5% depending of the type of infection and host related underlying risk factors.

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Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic granulomatous disease that affects mucosal surfaces. Its epidemiology and clinical presentation in Colombia are not well-known. We therefore reviewed all 58 reported cases between 1964 and 2015 to raise awareness among clinicians in a non-endemic area.

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non- species rarely cause disease in humans and are encountered most commonly in the clinical laboratory as culture contaminants; however, recently they have emerged as opportunistic pathogens in immunocompromised hosts; therefore, it should not be routinely disregarded without a thorough investigation, especially if normally sterile sites are involved.

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Article Synopsis
  • Leptospirosis is a serious health issue in tropical regions, especially Latin America, where cases are significantly higher than in other areas, with a 10% mortality rate in severe instances.
  • A study of 119 hospitalized patients in Medellín revealed that the majority were male (80%) and from rural areas (58%), with common symptoms including fever (89%), jaundice (62%), and myalgia (74%).
  • While complications included renal impairment (54%) and pulmonary issues (32%), the overall mortality rate was relatively low at 5%, suggesting outcomes may be better than global averages.
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  • Neoplasms can occur in invertebrates but not in tapeworms; however, a case was found where cells from a patient with HIV showed cancer-like features and were linked to tapeworm infection.
  • These abnormal cells were identified as originating from Hymenolepis nana, though they did not resemble typical tapeworm tissue and were detectable through specific staining and genetic assays.
  • The study reveals a new link between tapeworm infection and cancer, showing that genetically altered tapeworm cells can invade human tissue, presenting a novel mechanism for disease.
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Purpose: Given that vitamin D (25(OH)D) contributes to immune defense, we sought to determine if deficiency of 25(OH)D was significantly associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection.

Methods: All patients with 25(OH)D determinations at the Atlanta VAMC from 2007 to 2010 were included in the analyses. These patients were cross-referenced with a prospectively collected MRSA infection database at the AVAMC (2006-2010).

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Objectives: We aimed to describe and compare the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency between HIV-negative and HIV-infected veterans in the southern United States, and to determine risk factors for vitamin D deficiency for HIV infected patients.

Methods: Cross-sectional, retrospective study including all patients followed at the Atlanta VA Medical Center with the first 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level determined between January 2007 and August 2010. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine risk factors associated with vitamin D deficiency (< 20 ng/ml).

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Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is an uncommon syndrome that results from an uncontrolled activation of macrophages and lymphocytes resulting in the compromise of multiple organs that is potentially fatal without timely treatment. It can be hereditary or a secondary result of infectious processes, neoplasms or autoimmune conditions. We present the case of a patient with HIV/AIDS who developed hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis as well as disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with histoplasmosis and who was successfully treated with amphotericin B, steroids and transitory dialytic support.

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Approximately 8 million people have Trypanosoma cruzi infection, and nearly 30% will manifest Chagas cardiomyopathy (CC). Identification of reliable early indicators of CC risk would enable prioritization of treatment to those with the highest probability of future disease. Serum markers and electrocardiogram (EKG) changes were measured in 68 T.

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We evaluated the annual and weighted incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections by specific risk factors in a prospective cohort of HIV patients. We found 228 infections in 167 patients from 2002 to 2009. Higher rates were seen in men who have sex with men and intravenous drug users, patients with lower CD4 cell counts, patients not on antiretrovirals and younger patients.

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Background: Patients with Chagas disease have migrated to cities, where obesity, hypertension and other cardiac risk factors are common.

Methodology/principal Findings: The study included adult patients evaluated by the cardiology service in a public hospital in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Data included risk factors for T.

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Parasitic infections previously seen only in developing tropical settings can be currently diagnosed worldwide due to travel and population migration. Some parasites may directly or indirectly affect various anatomical structures of the heart, with infections manifested as myocarditis, pericarditis, pancarditis, or pulmonary hypertension. Thus, it has become quite relevant for clinicians in developed settings to consider parasitic infections in the differential diagnosis of myocardial and pericardial disease anywhere around the globe.

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We evaluated isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii that were reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network from January 2006 through December 2008 to determine the proportion that represented multidrug-resistant phenotypes. The pooled mean percentage of resistance varied by the definition used; however, multidrug resistance was relatively common and widespread.

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Concordant with the emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the community setting, colonization and infections with this pathogen have become a prevalent problem among the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive population. A variety of different host- and, possibly, pathogen-related factors may play a role in explaining the increased prevalence and incidence observed. In this article, we review pathophysiology, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment of MRSA in the HIV-infected population.

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The number of transplant recipients with tropical infectious diseases is growing due to increasing international travel and the rising number of transplants taking place in the tropics and subtropics. With increases in population migration, the prevalence of individuals infected with geographically restricted organisms also rises. There are three potential categories of tropical infections in transplant patients: (1) donor-related infections transmitted by the graft or through transfusion of blood products; (2) reactivation or recrudescence of latent infections in the donor recipient; and (3) de novo acquisition of infection in the post-transplant period through the traditional route of infection.

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Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), usually known as a nosocomial pathogen, has emerged as the predominant cause of skin and soft-tissue infections in many communities. Concurrent with the emergence of community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA), there have been increasing numbers of reports of community-acquired necrotising pneumonia in young patients and others without the classic health-care-associated risk factors. Community-onset necrotising pneumonia due to CA-MRSA is now recognised as an emerging clinical entity with distinctive clinical features and substantial morbidity and mortality.

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In the current era of globalization and ease of air travel combined with the increased survival attained since the advent of potent antiretroviral therapy, HIV-infected individuals are traveling to remote and resource-limited areas of the world. Travel-related health risks in a patient with HIV depend on the patient's immune status, destination, travel itinerary, and type of travel. HIV-infected patients with a CD4+ count of 200 cells/mm3 or lower, particularly those who are treatment-naive and newly diagnosed, are at increased risk of complications when traveling to resource-poor settings.

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