A Possible Case of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) Meningoencephalitis in an Immunocompetent Host.

The herpes zoster infection occurs in the United States, particularly targeting those who are immunocompromised, and can present with many manifestations including encephalitis. Instances of varicella zoster virus (VZV) encephalitis in immunocompetent patients have been rarely reported, but such diagnoses are becoming more frequent as detection of VZV has improved with the adoption of molecular diagnostic panels such as the BioFire Film Array meningitis panel (Salt Lake City, USA). Here, we present an interesting case of acute meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent adult female without dermatomal neuralgia or cutaneous lesions attributable to VZV.

A rare case of a novel coagulase negative Staphylococcus native valve endocarditis in a 28-year-old male.

Coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS) are an emerging cause of native valve endocarditis in community and healthcare settings. We describe a case of a 28-year-old man with no significant risk factors who presented with native valve endocarditis. During our patient's initial hospitalization, he was treated for CoNS bacteraemia and subsequently discharged after a protracted hospital course with a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) showing no valvular vegetations.

APOL1 risk variants and the development of HIV-associated nephropathy.

HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) remains a concern among untreated HIV patients, notably of African descent, as patients can reach end-stage renal disease within 3 years. Two variants (G1 and G2) of the APOL1 gene, common in African populations to protect against African sleeping sickness, have been associated with an increased risk of several glomerular disorders including HIVAN, hypertension-attributed chronic kidney disease, and idiopathic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and are accordingly named renal risk variants (RRVs). This review examines the mechanisms by which APOL1 RRVs drive glomerular injury in the setting of HIV infection and their potential application to patient management.

HIV-induced kidney cell injury: role of ROS-induced downregulated vitamin D receptor.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been demonstrated to contribute to HIV-induced tubular cell injury. We hypothesized that HIV-induced ROS generation may be causing tubular cell injury through downregulation of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and associated downstream effects. In the present study, HIV not only downregulated tubular cell VDR expression but also inflicted DNA injury.