More than meets the eye: Nocardia farcinica, Candida dubliniensis and Aspergillus spp. co-infection in a patient with multiple myeloma treated with multiple treatment regimens.

Background: Invasive infections by Nocardia farcinica, Aspergillus species (spp.) and Candida dubliniensis are rare infectious complications in patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

Case Presentation: In this case report, we describe a patient who received three lines of therapy, with proteasome inhibitors, corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide and lenalidomide, and who was concurrently infected with these three opportunistic pathogens.

Severe Liver-Related Outcomes in Patients With Hepatitis Delta: Results From a Multi-Ethnic Multicenter Long-Term Follow-Up Study.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-hepatitis delta virus (HDV) coinfection is the most severe form of chronic viral hepatitis, but the factors that determine disease progression and severity are incompletely characterised. This long-term follow-up study aims to identify risk factors for severe liver-related outcomes. In this multicentre national cohort study, data from admission until the last visit between 2001 and 2023 was retrospectively collected from 162 HBV-HDV coinfected patients.

Flemish consensus statement on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections in older nursing home residents.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most commonly reported infections in Belgian nursing home residents. In older adults, UTI diagnosis and management is complex, often leading to over-diagnosis and irrational antimicrobial use, stressing the need for a guideline approach.

Objectives And Methods: A consensus statement on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of UTIs in older adults residing in nursing homes was developed in a collaborative effort between the Flemish Hospital Outbreak Support Teams, the Flemish Agency for Care and Health, the Association of the Flemish Coordinating and Advising General Practitioners, the Belgian Association of Urology, the Belgian Society for Gerontology and Geriatrics and PhD researchers based on a combination of clinical expertise, (inter)national guidelines and peer-reviewed studies.

Osteolytic mystery: A rare case of pathologic fracture from a phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor in hip and femur.

Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT) is a rare tumor causing bone complications and myopathy. Histologically, PMT displays a mix of spindled cells, osteoclast-like giant cells, basophilic matrix, and flocculent or "grungy" calcification. Here we describe a case of PMT in the right hip and proximal femur, initially suspected to be multiple myeloma, presenting with osteolytic lesions and elevated alkaline phosphatase.

Opportunistic screening using point-of-care testing leads to successful linkage to care of HBV-infected migrant populations in a low endemic country.

Background And Aims: In low endemic countries, screening for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in migrants is cost-effective in reducing the disease burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, but linkage to care (LTC) remains a challenge. This study aims to guide future screening initiatives, with 3 objectives: 1. to compare LTC between different ethnic groups screened for HBsAg with point-of-care testing (POCT) in an outreach setting; 2.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders affecting diagnostic radiologists and prophylactic physical therapy regimen.

The shift from film to PACS in reading rooms, coupled with escalating case volumes, exposes radiologists to the issues of the modern computer workstation including computer work posture and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD). Common WMSDs affecting the neck and upper extremities include cervical myofascial pain, shoulder tendonitis, lateral epicondylitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and cubital tunnel syndrome. This review examines each pathology along with its pathogenesis, clinical features, physical exam findings, and potential risk factors.

First case of isolation from a patient with a foot ulcer infection in Belgium.

We present the first documented isolation of from a patient in Belgium. The isolate was identified as using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Our methodology corresponds with the previous conclusions on the superior performance of MALDI-TOF MS for bacterial identification.

Ten years countdown to hepatitis C elimination in Belgium: a mathematical modeling approach.

Background: Chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a worldwide health problem. As a result, the World Health Organization (WHO) has set elimination targets by 2030. This study aims to examine the position of Belgium in meeting the WHO's targets by 2030.

Clinical management of chronic hepatitis B: A concise overview.

Worldwide, over 250 million people are chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Infected patients have an up to 100-fold increased risk for liver-related complications, including cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma. Nonetheless, the majority of the infections remains asymptomatic, stressing the importance of HBV screening and linkage to care.

Evaluation of the SARS-CoV-2 positivity ratio and upper respiratory tract viral load among asymptomatic individuals screened before hospitalization or surgery in Flanders, Belgium.

Introduction: The incidence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in the Belgian community is mainly estimated based on test results of patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-like symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positivity ratio and distribution of viral loads within a cohort of asymptomatic patients screened prior hospitalization or surgery, stratified by age category.

Materials/methods: We retrospectively studied data on SARS-CoV-2 real-time RT-PCR detection in respiratory tract samples of asymptomatic patients screened pre-hospitalization or pre-surgery in nine Belgian hospitals located in Flanders over a 12-month period (1 April 2020-31 March 2021).

Point-of-Care Tests for Hepatitis B Are Associated with A Higher Linkage to Care and Lower Cost Compared to Venepuncture Sampling During Outreach Screenings in an Asian Migrant Population.

Background: This study compares venepuncture versus point-of-care (POC) HBsAg tests on screening cost and linkage to care in prospective outreach screenings in an Asian population in three major cities in Belgium between 10/2014 and 5/2018.

Methods: Two community outreach screening programs were organised between 10/2014 and 5/2018. The first screening program used venepuncture and serologic testing for HBsAg.

Frailty and Mortality in Hospitalized Older Adults With COVID-19: Retrospective Observational Study.

Objectives: To determine the association between frailty and short-term mortality in older adults hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Design: Retrospective single-center observational study.

Setting And Participants: Eighty-one patients with COVID-19 confirmed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), at the Geriatrics department of a general hospital in Belgium.

Stable HEV IgG seroprevalence in Belgium between 2006 and 2014.

Recent European studies suggest an emergence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection. We evaluated trends in birth cohort-specific HEV seroprevalence and regional differences in Belgium. HEV IgG seroprevalence was analysed on national serum banks (1579 and 2087 samples for 2006 and 2014, respectively.

Biobanking for Viral Hepatitis Research.

Viral hepatitis is a worldwide, important health issue. The optimal management of viral hepatitis infections faces numerous challenges. In this paper, we describe how biobanking of biological samples derived from viral hepatitis patients collected both in-hospital and during community outreach screenings provides a unique collection of samples.

First case of infection in Belgium in a surgical patient from Kuwait.

is a relatively new yeast species and an emerging opportunistic pathogen. It was first reported in 2009 in East Asia, as a difficult-to-identify species of uncertain clinical relevance. In recent years, it has appeared globally as a cause of invasive infections, not infrequently eliciting nosocomial outbreaks.

TLR7 polymorphism, sex and chronic HBV infection influence plasmacytoid DC maturation by TLR7 ligands.

TLR7 agonists are of high interest for the treatment of cancer, auto-immunity and chronic viral infections. They are known to activate plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) to produce high amounts of Type I Interferon (IFN) and to facilitate T and B cell responses, the latter with the help of maturation markers such as CD40, CD80 and CD86. The TLR7 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs179008 (GLn11Leu), sex and chronic viral infection have all been reported to influence pDC IFN production.

OPAT: proof of concept in a peripheral Belgian hospital after review of the literature.

Since its introduction in the 1970s in the United States, outpatient parenteral antibiotic/antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) has been adopted internationally for long-term intravenous (IV) treatment of stable infectious diseases. The aim is to provide a safe and successful completion of IV antimicrobial treatment at the ambulatory care center or at home without complications and costs associated with hospitalization. OPAT implementation has been accelerated by progress in vascular access devices, newly available antibiotics, the emphasis on cost-savings, as well as an improved patient comfort and a reduced incidence of health care associated infections with a similar outcome.

Sepsis Caused by Achromobacter Xylosoxidans in a Child with Cystic Fibrosis and Severe Lung Disease.

BACKGROUND Achromobacter xylosoxidans is an aerobic, motile, Gram-negative, opportunistic pathogen that can be responsible for various severe nosocomial and community-acquired infections. It has been found in immunocompromised patients and patients with several other underlying conditions, but the clinical role of this microorganism in cystic fibrosis is unclear. CASE REPORT We describe a case of septic shock caused by A.

Epidemic Achromobacter xylosoxidans strain among Belgian cystic fibrosis patients and review of literature.

Background: Achromobacter xylosoxidans is increasingly being recognized as an emerging pathogen in cystic fibrosis. Recent severe infections with A. xylosoxidans in some of our cystic fibrosis (CF) patients led to a re-evaluation of the epidemiology of CF-associated A.