Publications by authors named "McGreal-Bellone A"

A woman in her early 60s presented with multiple transient neurological symptoms over the course of 20 months, including transient loss of power to her right lower limb. Initial workup with CT brain scan, carotid dopplers and ECG revealed no abnormality; however, MRI of the brain suggested recent ischaemic events in separate cortical territories. Subsequent transoesophageal echocardiogram revealed a large mobile mass histologically confirmed to be an atrial myxoma.

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The optimum treatment for persistent infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is not known. Our case series, across 5 hospitals in 3 countries, describes 11 cases where persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection was successfully treated with prolonged courses (median, 10 days [range, 10-18 days]) of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid). Most cases (9/11) had hematological malignancy and 10 (10/11) had received CD20-depleting therapy.

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Presentation Tick borne encephalitis (TBE) is not endemic in Ireland and diagnostic tests are seldom requested. We describe the first notified case in Ireland. A 50-year-old female returned from Lithuania and presented with fever and new neurologic signs.

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A 77-year-old Lithuanian man presented to our institution with recurrent episodes of periorbital cellulitis, submandibular swelling and sialadenitis. Investigations revealed a positive QuantiFERON, raised inflammatory markers and normal autoimmune screen. Cross-sectional imaging showed no signs of occult malignancy, and work-up for mycobacterial infection including imaging and bronchoalveolar lavage did not show active tuberculosis.

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Objective: This study investigated seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibodies, using the Abbott antinucleocapsid IgG chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) assay, in five prespecified healthcare worker (HCW) subgroups following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Setting: An 800-bed tertiary-level teaching hospital in the south of Ireland.

Participants: Serum was collected for anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid IgG using the Abbott ARCHITECT SARS-CoV-2 IgG CMIA qualitative assay, as per the manufacturer's specifications.

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Background And Aims: A significant proportion of patients presenting to the Emergency Department with gastrointestinal symptoms that result in cross-sectional imaging receive a radiological diagnosis of colitis. We aimed to review the characteristics, outcomes, and final diagnoses of new emergency department presentations with colitis diagnosed on cross-sectional imaging.

Methods: A radiology database was interrogated to identify patients admitted from the Emergency Department of St James's Hospital whose cross-sectional imaging demonstrated colitis.

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