Objectives: The Philippines has one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the world. A subtype shift from B to CRF01_AE may have contributed to the increase in cases. We undertook a genotyping and transmitted drug resistance (TDR) study to determine if the dominant subtype has any advantages in resistance and transmission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith increasing geographic spread, frequency, and magnitude of outbreaks, dengue continues to pose a major public health threat worldwide. Dengvaxia, a dengue live-attenuated tetravalent vaccine, was licensed in 2015, but post hoc analyses of long-term data showed serostatus-dependent vaccine performance with an excess risk of hospitalized and severe dengue in seronegative vaccine recipients. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that only persons with evidence of past dengue infection should receive the vaccine.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Central nervous system involvement is commonly seen in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, with up to 2%-10% of patients presenting with intracranial mass lesions. The management of these lesions depends largely on their etiology and their relative frequency in the local population.
Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with HIV and evidence of intracranial mass lesions on cranial magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography from 2007 to 2018.
Background: The Philippines has the fastest growing HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific. This increase was accompanied by a shift in the predominant HIV subtype from B to CRF01_AE. Increasing evidence points to a difference in treatment responses between subtypes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The Philippines has one of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics in the world. Possible reasons for this include increased testing, increased local transmission, and possibly more aggressive strains of HIV. This study sought to determine whether local molecular subtypes of HIV have changed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInvasive Trichosporon infection is a rare, life-threatening infection in immunocompromised patients. It has been reported as an emerging opportunistic infection in those with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Only 12 cases of invasive trichosporonosis in patients with HIV have been documented, none in Southeast Asia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiologics are increasingly becoming part of routine disease management. As more agents are developed, the challenge of keeping track of indications and side effects is growing. While biologics represent a milestone in targeted and specific therapy, they are not without drawbacks, and the judicious use of these "magic bullets" is essential if their full potential is to be realized.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSchistosomiasis is caused by trematode parasites of one of five species, Schistosoma mansoni, Schistosoma haematobium, Schistosoma japonicum, Schistosoma intercalatum, or Schistosoma mekongi, acquired via skin contact with fresh water containing infectious larval cercariae. Between 1 and 8 weeks after exposure, acute schistosomiasis presents as dermatitis, fever, fatigue, or eosinophilia. If untreated, long-term infection may cause anemia or undernutrition and may progress to liver fibrosis, portal hypertension, or hydronephrosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Infliximab has revolutionized treatment of rheumatologic diseases and inflammatory bowel disease. However, it increases the risk of tuberculosis. Less is known about the development of Mycobacterium other than tuberculosis (MOTT) infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLactobacillus is a rare cause of endocarditis with only 78 reported cases in the literature. We report a case of Lactobacillus endocarditis and review reported adult cases since the introduction of the Duke's criteria for endocarditis. An analysis is presented with a focus on outcomes.
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