Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in adults with intellectual disability.

Helicobacter pylori infection is common among adults with intellectual disability. The acceptabilities and accuracies of different diagnostic tests in this population are unknown. We aimed to determine (i) patient acceptability and (ii) performance characteristics of serology, fecal-antigen, and urea breath tests among adults with intellectual disability.

Photorhabdus species: bioluminescent bacteria as emerging human pathogens?

We report two Australian patients with soft tissue infections due to Photorhabdus species. Recognized as important insect pathogens, Photorhabdus spp. are bioluminescent gram-negative bacilli.

Phaeohyphomycosis of the nasal sinuses caused by Bipolaris species.

Phaeohyphomycosis of the nasal sinuses of three patients is reported. Diagnosis is based on the laboratory findings of the biopsy tissue from the sinus lesions. All cases demonstrate a localized opportunistic infection caused by the dematiaceous fungus Bipolaris spicifera.

Brucellosis complicated by aortic valve endocarditis.

A 30 year old veterinary surgeon developed a febrile illness with serological evidence of Brucellosis. He was known to have aortic valve disease and during the course of the illness, the clinical features of endocarditis became evident, with a vegetation visible echocardiographically on the aortic valve. Because of persisting fever despite appropriate antibiotic therapy, aortic valve replacement with a viable cryopreserved allograft aortic valve was undertaken.