Creating a retinal image database to develop an automated screening tool for diabetic retinopathy in India.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a prevalent microvascular complication of diabetes, is the fifth leading cause of blindness worldwide. Given the critical nature of the disease, it is paramount that individuals with diabetes undergo annual screening for early and timely detection of DR, facilitating prompt ophthalmic assessment and intervention. However, screening for DR, which involves assessing visual acuity and retinal examination through ophthalmoscopy or retinal photography, presents a significant global challenge due to the massive volume of individuals requiring annual reviews.

To do or not to do: Large-dose steroid treatment for severe vision loss secondary to compressive inflammatory optic neuropathy in the setting of invasive fungal sinusitis.

Purpose: Invasive fungal sinusitis (IFS) is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality and often presents with orbital apex syndrome. Prompt diagnosis and management are crucial to prevent irreversible visual loss. We report a case of an immunosuppressed patient with rapidly progressive severe visual loss associated with frontal lobe cerebritis and leptomeningitis related to IFS, causing an adjacent compressive inflammatory optic neuropathy, which was treated successfully by large-dose corticosteroids.

Incidence and outcomes of cytomegalovirus reactivation after chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation is a major complication among seropositive allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation recipients; however, data on CMV reactivation after chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy are limited. We report the incidence and outcomes of 95 adult CMV-seropositive patients who received CAR T-cell therapy between February 2018 and February 2023. CMV outcomes were CMV reactivation (any viremia) and clinically significant CMV infection (cs-CMV).

Prevention and Management of Infections in Lung Transplant Recipients.

Anti-rejection medications are essential in preventing organ rejection amongst solid organ transplant recipients; however, these agents also cause profound immunosuppression, predisposing lung transplant recipients (LTRs) to infectious complications. The timely management including prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of such infectious complications is vital to prevent significant morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant recipients and allograft dysfunction. LTRs are inundated with microbes that may be recognized as commensals in hosts with intact immune systems.

Breakthrough invasive fungal infections on isavuconazole prophylaxis in hematologic malignancy & hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients.

Background: Isavuconazole (ISA) is a newer antifungal used in patients with history of hematologic malignancies and hematopoietic transplant and cellular therapies (HM/TCT). Although it has a more favorable side-effect profile, breakthrough invasive fungal infections (bIFIs) while on ISA have been reported.

Methods: In this single-center retrospective study evaluating HM/TCT patients who received prophylactic ISA for ≥7 days, we evaluated the incidence and potential risk factors for bIFIs.

Successful restoration of protective immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella following MMR vaccination in adult hematopoietic cell transplant recipients.

Background: The optimal number of doses as well as the role for measurement of postvaccination titers after measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination in adult hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients remains unknown.

Methods: In the present study, we assessed humoral immunity against measles, mumps and rubella before and after MMR vaccination in 187 adults who received at least one dose of the MMR vaccine after HCT.

Results: Among those with baseline titers, posttransplant prevaccination seroprotection rates were 56%, 30%, and 54% for measles, mumps, and rubella, respectively; and significantly lower in allogeneic versus autologous HCT recipients for measles (39% vs.

Progression of human monkeypox infection despite tecovirimat in an immunocompromised adult.

We report a case of an immunocompromised man with monkeypox who experienced disease progression despite timely initiation of tecovirimat and ultimately required utilization of cidofovir and VIGIV for treatment. In immunocompromised patients, monkeypox might present with a more severe course of disease requiring consideration of alternative treatment strategies.

Early administration of SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody reduces the risk of mortality in hematologic malignancy and hematopoietic cell transplant patients with COVID-19.

Background: Data on severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 monoclonal antibody (SARS-CoV-2-specific mAb) use in hematologic malignancy and hematopoietic cell transplantation (HM/HCT) patients are limited. Here, we describe our experience with the use of casirivimab-imdevimab or bamlanivimab for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in HM/HCT patients.

Methods: This was a retrospective chart review at the University of Miami Hospital and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center for HM/HCT patients with COVID-19 who received casirivimab-imdevimab or bamlanivimab from November 21, 2020, to September 30, 2021.

Successful Treatment of Disseminated Disease Due to Highly Resistant Aspergillus calidoustus with a Novel Antifungal Therapy.

Invasive aspergillosis is the most common invasive mold infection following a hematopoietic cell transplant. Widespread use of antifungal prophylaxis has led to the increasing incidence of cryptic Aspergillus species. Aspergillus calidoustus is one of those emerging species and is notorious for multidrug resistance to antifungals.

Clinical presentation and outcomes of COVID-19 following hematopoietic cell transplantation and cellular therapy.

Background: One year into the pandemic, published data on hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain limited.

Methods: Single-center retrospective cohort study of adult HCT recipients with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Results: Twenty-eight consecutive transplantation and cellular therapy patients (autologous, n = 12; allogeneic, n = 15; chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy [CAR-T], n = 1) with COVID-19 were identified.

Clinical "real-world" experience with letermovir for prevention of cytomegalovirus infection in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients.

Background: Letermovir was approved in 2017 for prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in seropositive (R+) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) patients. Post-marketing data with this new agent are scarce.

Methods: We compared the incidence of both CMV reactivation (any viremia) and clinically significant CMV infection (CS-CMVi; CMV DNAemia leading to preemptive treatment or presence of CMV tissue invasive disease) at days +100 and +200 post-HCT in 25 adult allogeneic HCT patients who received letermovir prophylaxis (until day 100) and a historical control group of 106 CMV R+ allogeneic HCT recipients who underwent CMV preemptive therapy.

Solitary Brain Mass in a Patient with Seizures: An Unexpected Infectious Etiology.

Neurocysticercosis is a parasitosis caused by the larval stage of the pork tapeworm The diagnosis is challenging as morphology on neuroimaging can be inconclusive and serology is frequently negative. We describe the case of a 24-year old Hispanic man who presented with seizures and loss of consciousness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a cystic mass in right frontal lobe.

Visceral leishmaniasis with cutaneous involvement caused by .

We report the case of a 66 year-old woman who presented nodular skin lesions on her back and upper extremities. Biopsy revealed amastigotes that were identified as by PCR. Evaluation also showed hepatomegaly and pulmonary nodules.

Anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic activities of aqueous extract of Morinda citrifolia fruit.

Morinda citrifolia (Indian mulberry or noni) fruit has been long used as a folk medicine for a wide range of health purposes as it is claimed to have analgesic, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, detoxifier, and cell-rejuvenator properties. A recent study has revealed central nervous system suppressant nature of its extract. Hence, the present study has evaluated the anxiolytic, sedative, and hypnotic effects of the aqueous extracts of Morinda citrifolia in rodents in comparison to diazepam.

Myocardial infarction in pregnancy associated with clomiphene citrate for ovulation induction: a case report.

Background: Clomiphene citrate (CC) is commonly prescribed for ovulation induction. It is considered safe, with minimal side effects. Thromboembolism is a rare but life-threatening complication that has been reported after ovulation induction with CC.