COVID-19 Compared to Other Pandemic Diseases.

In December 2019, the first cases of a new contagious disease were diagnosed in the city of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in China. Within a short period of time the outbreak developed exponentially into a pandemic that infected millions of people, with a global death toll of more than 500,000 during its first 6 months. Eventually, the novel disease was named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and the new virus was identified as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

How holobionts get sick-toward a unifying scheme of disease.

All humans, animals, and plants are holobionts. Holobionts comprise the host and a myriad of interacting microorganisms-the microbiota. The hologenome encompasses the genome of the host plus the composite of all microbial genomes (the microbiome).

The correlation between Clostridium-difficile infection and human gut concentrations of Bacteroidetes phylum and clostridial species.

We aimed to assess differences in bacterial intensities of Bacteroidetes phylum and different clostridial species in the human intestines with respect to C. difficile infection. Patients with a stool assay for C.

Unusual "flesh-eating" strains of Escherichia coli.

Monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis (type II) is typically caused by group A streptococcus alone or in combination with Staphylococcus aureus. Escherichia coli has been isolated from polymicrobial or Fournier's gangrene but has rarely been reported in monomicrobial necrotizing fasciitis. We describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of seven cases of monomicrobial E.

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography for the diagnosis of endocarditis in patients with pulmonic stented valve/pulmonic stent.

Percutaneous pulmonic valve and pulmonic stent implantation have become a well-established treatment for recurrent pulmonic stenosis or insufficiency in patients with repaired congenital heart disease. Late endocarditis is seldom reported, but its diagnosis might be challenging due to the limited visualization of the stented valve or stent by transesophageal echocardiography. We present 2 young patients who were hospitalized for suspected endocarditis and in whom the diagnosis was made with the aid of positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan.

A large Q fever outbreak in an urban school in central Israel.

BACKGROUND. On 28 June 2005, numerous cases of febrile illness were reported among 322 students and employees of a boarding high school located in an urban area in central Israel. Subsequent investigation identified a large outbreak of Q fever which started 2 weeks earlier.

Travel-related leptospirosis in Israel: a nationwide study.

Leptospirosis is re-emerging in developed countries as a travel-related infection. In this nationwide study of travel-related leptospirosis in Israel, all cases diagnosed at the Central Reference Laboratory for Leptospirosis, during 2002-2008 were retrospectively reviewed and only travel-related cases were included. During the study years, 20 (42%) of 48 leptospirosis cases in Israel were travel-related.

Adult-onset ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency unmasked by the Atkins' diet.

Background & Aims: Late-onset symptoms of urea-cycle disorder may lead to a life-threatening disease which is often undetected. We report the clinical and metabolic manifestations of acute hyperammonemic encephalopathy in a 47-year-old asymptomatic man with ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency. The hyperammonemic encephalopathy was unmasked by a high-protein Atkins diet.

Pleural plaques related to "take-home" exposure to asbestos: An international case series.

Context: While a large number of studies indicate the risks of high-level exposures to asbestos in the workplace setting, a relatively small number of studies describe the risk of pleural disease related to "take-home" asbestos brought into the household by workers exposed to asbestos. Consequently, the risk of pleural disease in family members of asbestos-exposed workers is likely underappreciated.

Case Presentations: Two families of siblings, one in Israel and one in the US, were evaluated because of their significant exposures to asbestos brought into the home by family members with heavy occupational exposures.

Clinical and radiological features of Mycobacterium kansasii infection and Mycobacterium simiae infection.

This retrospective study sought to systematically identify clinical and radiological features of Mycobacterium kansasii and Mycobacterium simiae infections. The sample included consecutive patients with a culture-positive diagnosis of M. simiae infection (n=102) or M.

Pericarditis as a presenting sign of infective endocarditis: two case reports and review of the literature.

Pericarditis as a presenting sign of infective endocarditis is rare. Here we describe 2 cases and an additional 19 cases of pericarditis as a presenting sign of infective endocarditis reported during the last 40 y. 71% of patients were young males (mean age 43.

Mortality of patients with antibiotic-associated diarrhoea: the impact of Clostridium difficile.

Previous studies have shown conflicting results concerning mortality related to Clostridium difficile infection. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of C. difficile infection on short- and long-term mortality in hospitalised patients with antibiotic-associated diarrhoea.

Treatment of human brucellosis: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Objectives: To determine and quantify differences in efficacy between treatment regimens for brucellosis.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials assessing different antibiotic regimens and durations of treatment for human brucellosis.

Data Sources: PubMed, CENTRAL, Lilacs, conference proceedings, and bibliographies with no restrictions on language, study year, or publication status.

Prosthetic knee septic arthritis due to Pseudomonas stutzeri.

Prosthetic joint infection is usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci and, less commonly, by Gram-negative bacilli and anaerobes. A case of prosthetic joint infection due to Pseudomonas stutzeri in a 73-year-old female with acute promyelocytic leukemia is presented, and the pertinent literature is reviewed. Although the patient had prolonged neutropenia, the infection was successfully treated with antibiotics and without artificial joint replacement.

The epidemiology of bacteremia with febrile neutropenia: experience from a single center, 1988-2004.

Background: The epidemiology of bacteremic febrile neutropenia differs between locations and constitutes the basis for selection of empiric antibiotic therapy for febrile neutropenia.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiology of bacteremia among patients with neutropenia in a single center in Israel.

Methods: We conducted a prospective data collection on all patients with neutropenia (< 500/mm3) and clinically significant bacteremia or fungemia during the period 1988-2004.

Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 for distinguishing bacterial from aseptic meningitis in adults.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (sTREM-1) is present in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with acute meningitis and if its presence can predict bacterial infection. We found elevated levels of sTREM-1 in the CSF of seven of the nine (78%) patients with culture-positive specimens and in none of 12 (0%) patients with culture-negative specimens (sensitivity: 78%; specificity: 100%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for sTREM-1 in the CSF as a predictor for bacterial meningitis was 0.

Appropriateness of antibiotic therapy on weekends versus weekdays.

Objectives: To compare the appropriateness of antibiotic treatment prescribed in an emergency department (ED) of a tertiary medical centre on weekdays and weekends.

Methods: During a 1 month period, medical charts of 1029 ED visits for patients who were discharged from the ED were reviewed. Data of patients who were discharged with antibiotics were blind evaluated by two infectious disease specialists, and an 'appropriateness score' was given to the antibiotic prescription.

Predicting Clostridium difficile toxin in hospitalized patients with antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

Objective: Clostridium difficile infection is implicated in 20%-30% of cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Studying hospitalized patients who received antibiotic therapy and developed diarrhea, our objective was to compare the clinical characteristics of patients who developed C. difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) with those of patients with a negative result of a stool assay for C.

An outbreak of Mycobacterium jacuzzii infection following insertion of breast implants.

Background: Surgical wound infections caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria developed in 15 women after insertion of breast implants from August to November 2003 at a single medical center.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted that included the identified patients, as well as women who underwent breast operations at the same center who did not develop infections. The study was accompanied by an extensive environmental investigation.

The significance of Acinetobacter baumannii bacteraemia compared with Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteraemia: risk factors and outcomes.

Risk factors and outcomes for patients with nosocomial Acinetobacter baumannii bacteraemia were compared with those for patients with nosocomial Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteraemia in a single centre in Israel between 2000 and 2003. Data were collected retrospectively through patient chart review. In total, 112 patients with A.

Isolated endogenous endophthalmitis due to a sporodochial-forming Phialemonium curvatum acquired through intracavernous autoinjections.

We report a case of endogenous endophthalmitis due to a sporodochial-forming species of Phialemonium curvatum. The infection led to the enucleation of the affected eye, but there was no evidence of systemic dissemination. The isolated P.

Successful organ transplantation from donors with Acinetobacter baumannii septic shock.

Donor bacteremia with severe sepsis, especially due to gram-negative organisms, has been considered a contraindication to transplantation. Over a 6-month period we prospectively collected standardized data on all brain-dead, heart-beating organ donors with gram negative bacteremia and septic shock and the recipients of their organs in hospitals throughout Israel. Donors were treated with appropriate antibiotics for at least 48 hr prior to organ retrieval while recipients received 7 days of culture-specific antibiotics following transplantation.