Publications by authors named "Kosho Iwao"

Article Synopsis
  • Treating cryptococcosis in HIV patients is tough due to limited antifungal options and lack of approval for isavuconazole in the US and Europe.
  • A case study follows a Japanese man who developed cryptococcal meningitis, relapsed after fluconazole treatment, and was later diagnosed with disseminated cryptococcosis.
  • He was successfully treated with a combination of isavuconazole and liposomal amphotericin B, suggesting that isavuconazole may be a viable treatment option, warranting further clinical trials to ensure effectiveness and safety.*
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Article Synopsis
  • Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) is a rare tick-borne disease in Japan, with only seven reported cases, including a significant one involving a 61-year-old female farmer.
  • The patient presented with symptoms like rash, fever, and rhabdomyolysis, and testing revealed elevated levels of creatinine and creatinine kinase, indicating muscle damage, alongside a tick bite.
  • Despite initial treatments for suspected Japanese spotted fever, the diagnosis of HGA was confirmed through antibody detection, highlighting the need for better diagnostic systems and awareness of HGA in Japan, especially for patients with outdoor activity history.
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Various diseases (e.g., hypertension and diabetes) are risk factors for the exacerbation of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).

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Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is caused by the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV). Although SFTS is a fatal tick-borne zoonosis, it can infect humans without tick bite exposure. Recently, direct transmission of SFTSV from companion pets to humans has become a major problem.

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Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) with cerebral vasculitis is rare, and its prognosis is unfavorable. High-dose glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide are widely used for the treatment of NPSLE, but cyclophosphamide has a risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and ovarian insufficiency, which may discourage its use in young women. We experienced a case of NPSLE with cerebral vasculitis and lupus nephritis that responded successfully to glucocorticoids and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on assessing the clinical characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with human T-cell leukaemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection and its effects on serious infections and cancers.
  • A total of 150 HTLV-1-negative and 50 HTLV-1-positive RA patients were analyzed, revealing that those with HTLV-1 had higher patient-reported health assessments despite similar inflammatory markers.
  • The incidence rates of serious infections and malignancies were notably higher in HTLV-1-positive patients, suggesting that HTLV-1 infection may exacerbate RA symptoms and increase the risk of severe health issues.
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Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tickborne infectious disease in China, Korea, and Japan caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV). SFTS has a high mortality rate due to multiorgan failure. Recently, there are several reports on SFTS patients with mycosis.

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Background: CD4-positive T cells are the main target of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Interferon-γ release assays rely on the fact that T-lymphocytes release this cytokine when exposed to tuberculosis-specific antigens and are useful in testing for latent tuberculosis infection before initiating biologic therapy, such as anti-tumor necrosis factor agents. However, the reliability of interferon-γ release assays in detecting tuberculosis infection among HTLV-1-positive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unclear.

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Rationale: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile illness predominantly affecting children less than 5 years of age and characterized by systemic inflammation in all medium-sized arteries. Adult-onset KD (AKD) is rare with only 105 case reports published. Recently, the efficacy of infliximab (IFX) for patients with refractory KD has been demonstrated.

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