Clinical Utility of Induced Sputum and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cultures in Diagnosing Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Disease.

Diagnosing non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) in patients unable to produce sputum spontaneously requires invasive procedures to obtain valid respiratory specimens. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the results of microbiological tests performed on respiratory samples of 132 patients affected by NTM-PD. In the diagnostic workout, 98 patients performed both induced sputum (IS) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and were enrolled in our study.

Cognitive outcomes and psychological symptoms in an Italian cohort with post-acute COVID-19 condition (PACC).

Background: We aim to investigate the proportion of patients (pts) with long-term cognitive outcomes (CO) of PACC and identify associated features.

Methods: We assessed participants through a neuropsychological assessment. The chi-square test was used for comparisons according with time of NPA (within or beyond 6 months since COVID19) and with previously hospitalization status (hospitalized patients, PH; not hospitalized patients, nPH).

Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in a Case of Chronic Urticaria following Omalizumab Therapy.

In Italy, tuberculosis (TB) incidence in the last decade has remained constant at under 10 cases/100,000 inhabitants. In the Philippines, TB annual incidence is greater than 500 cases/100,000 inhabitants. Omalizumab is a humanized anti-IgE monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria.

Recovery from Triple Infection with SARS-CoV-2, RSV and Influenza virus: A case report.

The overall probability of infection with RSV, influenza virus, or SARS-CoV-2 in the general population is assessed as high by the ECDC. A high level of respiratory virus circulation increases hospitalizations and places significant pressure on healthcare systems. Here we describe the case of a 52-year-old woman who recovered from pneumonia with a triple infection with SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and Influenza virus.

What is the impact of post-COVID-19 syndrome on health-related quality of life and associated factors: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: After the acute phase, symptoms or sequelae related to post-COVID-19 syndrome may persist for months. In a population of patients, previously hospitalized and not, followed up to 12 months after the acute infection, we aim to assess whether and to what extent post-COVID-19 syndrome may have an impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and to investigate influencing factors.

Methods: We present the cross-sectional analysis of a prospective study, including patients referred to the post-COVID-19 service.

Dermatological manifestations during COVID-19 and histological picture: Description of two clinical cases.

It is not yet entirely clear what is the relevance of skin symptoms and what clinical implications are related to their appearance in COVID-19 patients. We describe two cases of COVID-19-associated pneumonia, which presented skin manifestations in advanced stage of illness, when nasopharyngeal swabs became negative for SARS-CoV-2. The first case presented erythematous, maculopapular lesions; the second developed petechial, vesicular and blood-encrusted lesions on the limbs.

Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Elderly Patients: A 2016-2019 Retrospective Analysis from an Italian Referral Hospital.

Tuberculosis (TB) in the elderly (>65 years old) has increasingly become a global health problem. It has long been recognized that older people are vulnerable to developing tuberculosis. We retrospectively evaluated data from patients older than 65 years diagnosed with pulmonary TB admitted to the National Institute for Infectious Diseases L.

Usefulness of bronchoalveolar lavage in the management of patients presenting with lung infiltrates and suspect COVID-19-associated pneumonia: A case report.

Objective: To report a clinical case of a patient with a compatible HRCT scan and two negative SARS-CoV-2 RNA upper respiratory tract specimens but with a confirmed viral infection by BAL (19 days after symptom onset).

Methods: Revision of a patient's clinical charts with COVID-19 admitted at INMI L. Spallanzani Hospital RESULTS: Two oropharyngeal swab tests of SARS-CoV-2 by qualitative real-time reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assay were performed at admission (17 days from symptoms onset) and a day apart and were found negative.

Implementing a combined infection prevention and control with antimicrobial stewardship joint program to prevent caesarean section surgical site infections and antimicrobial resistance: a Tanzanian tertiary hospital experience.

Background: Surgical site infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after caesarean section, especially in Low and Middle Income Countries. We hypothesized that a combined infection prevention and control with antimicrobial stewardship joint program would decrease the rate of post- caesarean section surgical site infections at the Obstetrics & Gynaecology Department of a Tanzanian tertiary hospital.

Methods: The intervention included: 1.

Hepatitis C virus infection: a challenge in the complex management of two cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Background: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) requires lengthy use of second-line drugs, burdened by many side effects. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronic infection increases risk of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in these patients. Data on MDR-TB patients with concurrent HCV chronic infection treated at the same time with second-line antitubercular drugs and new direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are lacking.

Unexpected human cases of cutaneous anthrax in Latium region, Italy, August 2017: integrated human-animal investigation of epidemiological, clinical, microbiological and ecological factors.

On 31 August, a veterinarian and a farmworker were hospitalised for skin lesions. Both had been exposed to a dead cow on 19 August on a farm near Rome, where eight further cattle died of confirmed anthrax later the same month. At admission, the first case showed a black depressed eschar and another smaller lesion on one hand.

Putting in harm to cure: Drug related adverse events do not affect outcome of patients receiving treatment for multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis. Experience from a tertiary hospital in Italy.

Rationale: Treatment of multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is challenging because it mostly relies on drugs with lower efficacy and greater toxicity than those used for drug-susceptible TB.

Objectives: Aim of the study was to describe the frequency and type of adverse drug reactions in a cohort of MDR-TB patients and their potential impact on treatment outcome.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in a cohort of MDR-TB patients enrolled at a tertiary referral hospital in Italy from January 2008 to December 2016.

Five cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria treated with artemisinin derivatives: the advantages of a unified approach to treatment.

Objectives: In endemic countries with a high level of chloroquine resistance, Plasmodium vivax malaria is associated with high morbidity and mortality. In these areas, the dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine combination resulted in clinical response, a more rapid clearance of parasitaemia, compared to chloroquine therapies, and reduction of recrudescence or reinfection.

Methods: We describe five cases of Plasmodium vivax malaria in returning travelers treated with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine.

Tuberculin skin test - Outdated or still useful for Latent TB infection screening?

Objective: To make an informed viewpoint on the usefulness of Tuberculin Skin test (TST) compared to Interferon Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs) for diagnosis of Latent TB Infection (LTBI) in different geographical settings.

Methods: We reviewed the current literature on TST compared to IGRA, including national implementation of WHO LTBI recommendations and retrospective data over the past 7 years at the National Institute for Infectious Diseases "L. Spallanzani" as indirect indicator of usage of both tests under actual programmatic conditions.

Febrile rhabdomyolysis of unknown origin in refugees coming from West Africa through the Mediterranean.

Objectives: Cases of undiagnosed severe febrile rhabdomyolysis in refugees coming from West Africa, mainly from Nigeria, has been observed since May 2014. The aim of this study was to describe this phenomenon.

Methods: This was a multicentre retrospective observational study of cases of febrile rhabdomyolysis reported from May 2014 to December 2016 in 12 Italian centres.

Reliability and validity of using telephone calls for post-discharge surveillance of surgical site infection following caesarean section at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common post-operative complication causing significant morbidity and mortality. Many SSI occur after discharge from hospital. Post-discharge SSI surveillance in low and middle income countries needs to be improved.

An imported case of acute pulmonary coccidioidomycosis in an Italian traveller.

Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection caused by the Coccidioides species, which is endemic in the deserts of the southwestern region of the United States, northern Mexico, and in some areas of Central and South America. We describe a case of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis in a 49-year-old Italian man who came to our hospital with fever and joint and muscle pain 10 days after his return to Italy from Venezuela. Computer Tomography revealed multiple bilateral pulmonary nodules with mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

Haemolytic anaemia after oral artemether-lumefantrine treatment in a patient affected by severe imported falciparum malaria.

Artemisinin and its derivatives are essential components of artemisinin-based combination therapies for treating severe falciparum malaria. In this paper, we describe the occurrence of haemolysis after oral artemether-lumefantrine treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second reported case of a patient affected by severe falciparum malaria with haemolytic anaemia that is likely associated with oral artemether-lumefantrine treatment.

Mutations in dihydropteroate synthase gene of Pneumocystis carinii in HIV patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether dihydropteroate synthase gene (DHPS) mutations were associated with the failure of sulpha/sulphone drugs used as prophylaxis agents in HIV infected patients. Results suggested that DHPS mutations were significantly associated with failure of anti-Pneumocystis carinii sulphone prophylaxis (P=0.031).

Pneumocystis carinii infection in young non-immunosuppressed rabbits. Kinetics of infection and of the primary specific immune response.

The aim of this study was to determine the kinetics, the dissemination of the infection and the immunological response to Pneumocystis carinii primary infection in a non-immunosuppressed rabbit model. For this purpose, we developed a nested PCR that amplified a portion of the mitochondrial large-subunit rRNA gene of rabbit-derived P. carinii.