Introduction: Fluconazole is commonly used to treat and prevent fungal infections caused by Candida and Cryptococcus species. Although there have been reports of fatal arrhythmias induced by fluconazole, such as torsades de pointes, there have been minimal reports of mild, non-fatal arrhythmias associated with it, which may have been overlooked in clinical practice. We encountered a case of frequent premature ventricular contractions induced by fluconazole during the treatment of HIV-related pulmonary cryptococcosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: This study aimed to identify factors associated with the response to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in people living with HIV (PLWH).
Methods: This study was conducted at the Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. IgG antibodies against spike and nucleocapsid proteins were detected using Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant assays.
In a previous study, we demonstrated an association between a low response to rubella vaccination and a decreased acquisition of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike immunoglobulin G (anti-S IgG) shortly after the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine. The present study aimed to explore whether this association persists in terms of long-term antibody retention following the second dose of BNT162b2. Through multivariable analysis, we found a significant association between a low response to rubella vaccination and reduced anti-S IgG titers approximately eight months after the second dose of BNT162b2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Some vaccinated individuals fail to acquire an adequate immune response against infection. We aimed to determine whether mRNA severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination could induce a sufficient immune response against SARS-CoV-2 in low responders to other vaccinations.
Methods: Using data from health-care workers who received two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine (BioNTech/Pfizer), we conducted a single-centre, cross-sectional study to determine whether low responders to measles, rubella, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccinations could acquire sufficient antibodies after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.
Introduction: In Japan, patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who do not require medical intervention are provided care in recovery accommodation facilities (RAFs). However, some patients may require hospitalization if their symptoms become more severe during their stay. We conducted an observational study using epidemiological data of patients with COVID-19 admitted to RAFs in Tokyo.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe clinical manifestations of COVID-19 vary broadly, ranging from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory failure and death. But the predictive biomarkers for characterizing the variability are still lacking. Since emerging evidence indicates that extracellular vesicles (EVs) and extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) are functionally involved in a number of pathological processes, we hypothesize that these extracellular components may be key determinants and/or predictors of COVID-19 severity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHIV infection, in particular in patients with developing AIDS, carries a risk of causing toxoplasmosis with encephalitis, which is mostly caused by a form (bradyzoite) of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. HIV/AIDS in Japan has been recognized as a serious health issue in recent years. In this study, to elucidate T.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Previous studies evaluating the clinical benefits of prophylactic antibiotics for severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) have generated inconsistent results due to heterogeneities among the study settings. We determined if early prophylactic antibiotics improved the outcomes of SAP patients using a study designed to overcome these previous methodological weaknesses.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of SAP patients discharged between July 2010 and March 2016, using a Japanese nationwide inpatient database.
A 56-year-old Japanese man diagnosed with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia and cytomegalovirus infection presented with thrombocytopenia after starting antiretroviral therapy, which included dolutegravir (DTG). Although good control of the human immunodeficiency virus and cytomegalovirus infections was achieved, the patient's thrombocytopenia persisted. The patient's platelet count decreased to ≤50,000/μL even after the cessation of valganciclovir, which can cause bone marrow suppression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Ceftriaxone has been recognized as a well-tolerated drug; however, in some instances, liver dysfunction occurs after using high-dose ceftriaxone. We aimed to assess the incidence of liver injury due to high-dose ceftriaxone and to determine whether there is a dose-dependent risk of liver injury with this drug.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized adult patients treated with ceftriaxone at a tertiary care hospital from January 2012 to October 2013.
Objectives: This study was conducted to clarify the rate of late diagnosis of HIV infection and to identify relationships between the reasons for HIV testing and a late diagnosis.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted among HIV-positive patients at the Jikei University Hospital between 2001 and 2014. Patient characteristics from medical records, including age, sex, sexuality, the reason for HIV testing and the number of CD4-positive lymphocytes at HIV diagnosis, were assessed.
Objective: A dengue outbreak occurred in Japan 2014. We investigated the characteristics of dengue infection among Japanese.
Methods: We investigated the medical charts retrospectively.
Background: Metastatic infections such as infective endocarditis and psoas abscess are serious complications of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia because failure to identify these infections may result in bacteremia relapse or poor prognosis. In the present study, we determined the predictive factors for metastatic infection due to methicillin-sensitive S. aureus bacteremia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Travel overseas has recently been considered a risk factor for colonization with drug-resistant bacteria. The purpose of this study was to establish the epidemiology and risk factors associated with the acquisition of drug-resistant bacteria by Japanese travelers.
Methods: Between October 2011 and September 2012, we screened the stools of 68 Japanese returning travelers for extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli.