Bacteremia: Contemporary Management.

bacteremia (SAB) is a serious cause of bloodstream infection associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Complications include deep-seated foci of infection including infective endocarditis, device-associated infection, osteoarticular metastases, pleuropulmonary involvement, and recurrent infection. With the 30-day all-cause mortality being around 20%, a collaborative effort of early Infectious Diseases (ID) consultation and Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) involvement will show improved SAB outcomes and therapy optimization.

Trends in Sexually Transmitted Infections.

Sexually transmitted infections have increased dramatically in the past 10 years. Rates are higher in Missouri than nationally, and higher in the large urban areas, in young adults, racial minority groups, among men having sex with men, and are associated with injection drug and methamphetamine use. Clinicians need to perform an appropriate sexual history and follow guidelines for screening and treatment.

Disseminated histoplasmosis presenting as dental lesion in the absence of a vital organ, the thymus.

We present a case report of a patient who has rare anatomical anomalies and presented with an oral lesion that led to a diagnosis of disseminated histoplasmosis. The case brings forth important clinical considerations for a diagnosis of histoplasmosis.

Receptor-mediated Uptake of Folic Acid-functionalized Dextran Nanoparticles for Applications in Photodynamic Therapy.

In photodynamic therapy (PDT), photosensitizers and light are used to cause photochemically induced cell death. The selectivity and the effectiveness of the phototoxicity in cancer can be increased by a specific uptake of the photosensitizer into tumor cells. A promising target for this goal is the folic acid receptor α (FRα), which is overexpressed on the surface of many tumor cells and mediates an endocytotic uptake.

Extragenital Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Among Men and Women According to Type of Sexual Exposure.

Background: Current guidelines recommend screening for extragenital gonorrhea (GC) and chlamydia (CT) only among men having sex with men (MSM). Extragenital GC and CT is associated with treatment failure and disease transmission. The prevalence of extragenital GC/CT infections in women and in men having sex with women (MSW) are less well studied.