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The article discusses the potential link between the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and urinary yeast infections in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It highlights the case of a 75-year-old male with diabetes and heart failure who developed a urinary yeast infection while taking empagliflozin. The article emphasizes the importance of clinicians being aware of the increased risk of genital mycotic infections associated with SGLT2 inhibitors and provides recommendations for managing such infections, including discontinuing the medication in severe cases. Additionally, it mentions the FDA's warning about the risk of Fournier's gangrene associated with SGLT2 inhibitor use. [Extracted from the article]

This is a case of a kidney transplant recipient who presented with skin lesions, low‐grade fevers, and pancytopenia 2 months after his transplant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this clinicopathological conference, invited experts discussed a previously published case of a patient with nonischemic cardiomyopathy who underwent heart transplantation from a genetically modified pig source animal. His complex course included detection of porcine cytomegalovirus by plasma microbial cell‐free DNA and eventual xenograft failure. The objectives of the session included discussion of selection of immunosuppressive regimens and prophylactic antimicrobials for human xenograft recipients, description of infectious disease risk assessment and mitigation in potential xenograft donors and understanding of screening and therapeutic strategies for potential xenograft‐related infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Revaccination after receipt of a hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) or cellular therapies is a pillar of patient supportive care, with the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality linked to vaccine‐preventable infections. This review synthesizes national, international, and expert consensus vaccination schedules post‐HCT and presents evidence regarding the efficacy of newer vaccine formulations for pneumococcus, recombinant zoster vaccine, and coronavirus disease 2019 in patients with hematological malignancy. Revaccination post‐cellular therapies are less well defined. This review highlights important considerations around poor vaccine response, seroprevalence preservation after cellular therapies, and the optimal timing of revaccination. Future research should assess the immunogenicity and real‐world effectiveness of new vaccine formulations and/or vaccine schedules in patients post‐HCT and cellular therapy, including analysis of vaccine response that relates to the target of cellular therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is the treatment of choice for B19V-induced pure red cell aplasia in immunocompromised hosts. Keywords: hematopoietic cell transplantation; immunocompromised; immunodeficiency; intravenous immunoglobulin; parvovirus B19 EN hematopoietic cell transplantation immunocompromised immunodeficiency intravenous immunoglobulin parvovirus B19 1 3 3 10/20/23 20231001 NES 231001 Abbreviations alloHCT allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant B19V parvovirus B19 HIV human immunodeficiency virus IVIG intravenous immunoglobulin PCR polymerase chain reaction Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a single-stranded DNA virus, which infects human erythroid progenitor cells. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for pure red cell aplasia related to human parvovirus B19 infection: a retrospective study of 10 patients and review of the literature. [Extracted from the article]

Ongoing evaluation of these therapies, and newer MAb as they are developed for the treatment of mild COVID-19, as well as pre-exposure prophylaxis, and investigational treatments are required. This is of interest, given the widespread availability of the messenger RNA vaccines and the Food and Drug Administration's recommendation for the third dose to immunocompromised patients, including HSCT patients, with the COVID-19 vaccine since mid-August 2021. Keywords: antiviral; COVID-19; monoclonal antibody; stem cell transplant; treatment; vaccination EN antiviral COVID-19 monoclonal antibody stem cell transplant treatment vaccination 1 4 4 02/23/23 20230201 NES 230201 Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients and patients with hematological malignancy (HM) are at high risk of significant morbidity and mortality from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, with an estimated at least 2.5-fold increased risk of death.[1] In HSCT patients, estimated mortality from centers of European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation was approximately 25%, and similar for autologous and allogeneic-HSCT patients.[2] Risk factors for severity include older age, higher immunodeficiency scoring index group (based on neutrophils <0.5 × 10 SP 9 sp /L, lymphocytes <0.2 × 10 SP 9 sp /L, age >=40 years, myeloablative conditioning, graft vs. host disease, use of steroids and HSCT < 30 days) and poor performance status.[[2]] The aims of treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection are based on the pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), where there is an initial viral phase that may be followed by an inflammatory phase, the latter of which can be the cause of a high mortality rate. [Extracted from the article]

The optimal management of immunosuppression in transplant patients infected with COVID‐19 is unknown. We performed an in vitro study to determine the effect of individual immunosuppressive agents on SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific T‐cell cytokine expression. Convalescent peripheral blood mononuclear cells from eleven non‐immunosuppressed patients with COVID‐19 were preincubated with clinically relevant concentrations of immunosuppressive drugs (tacrolimus, mycophenolate, sirolimus, prednisone) and then stimulated with a SARS‐CoV‐2 peptide pool. Supernatants were analyzed by 14‐plex high sensitivity T‐cell cytokine array. With increasing concentrations of tacrolimus, there was a trend to reduction in the release of IL‐2 (p =.0137), and IFN‐γ (p =.0147) in response to peptide stimulation. There was also a subsequent trend toward a Th2 phenotype, indicated by lower IFN‐γ:IL‐13 ratio (p =.0663) and IFNγ:IL‐4 ratio (p =.0176). Sirolimus appeared to be associated with a proinflammatory cytokine release, including TNF‐α (p =.0027) and IL‐1β (p =.0016), in response to SARS‐CoV‐2 peptides. In contrast, mycophenolate and prednisone did not influence the SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific cytokine response. These are preliminary findings only, with larger studies required to inform clinical recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptococcosis caused by the Cryptococcus neoformans–Cryptococcus gattii complex is an important opportunistic infection in people with immunodeficiency, including in the haematology/oncology setting. This may manifest clinically as cryptococcal meningitis or pulmonary cryptococcosis, or be detected incidentally by cryptococcal antigenemia, a positive sputum culture or radiological imaging. Non‐Candida, non‐Cryptococcus spp. rare yeast fungaemia are increasingly common in this population. These consensus guidelines aim to provide clinicians working in the Australian and New Zealand haematology/oncology setting with clear guiding principles and practical recommendations for the management of cryptococcosis, while also highlighting important and emerging rare yeast infections and their recommended management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections caused by carbapenemase‐producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are an emerging threat in both solid organ and stem cell transplant recipients. Invasive CPE infections in transplant recipients are associated with a high mortality, often due to limited therapeutic options and antibacterial toxicities. One of the most therapeutically challenging group of CPE are the metallo‐β‐lactamase (MBL)‐producing Gram‐negative bacteria, which are now found worldwide, and often need treatment with older, highly toxic antimicrobial regimens. Newer β‐lactamase inhibitors such as avibactam have well‐established activity against certain carbapenemases such as Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPC), but have no activity against MBL‐producing organisms. Conversely, aztreonam has activity against MBL‐producing organisms but is often inactivated by other co‐existing β‐lactamases. Here, we report four cases of invasive MBL‐CPE infections in transplant recipients caused by IMP‐4‐producing Enterobacter cloacae who were successfully treated with a new, mechanism‐driven antimicrobial combination of ceftazidime/avibactam with aztreonam. This novel antimicrobial combination offers a useful treatment option for high‐risk patients with CPE infection, with reduced drug interactions and toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To design and evaluate 3D‐printed nasal swabs for collection of samples for SARS‐CoV‐2 testing. Design: An iterative design process was employed. Laboratory evaluation included in vitro assessment of mock nasopharyngeal samples spiked with two different concentrations of gamma‐irradiated SARS‐CoV‐2. A prospective clinical study compared SARS‐CoV‐2 and human cellular material recovery by 3D‐printed swabs and standard nasopharyngeal swabs. Setting, participants: Royal Melbourne Hospital, May 2020. Participants in the clinical evaluation were 50 hospital staff members attending a COVID‐19 screening clinic and two inpatients with laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19. Intervention: In the clinical evaluation, a flocked nasopharyngeal swab sample was collected with the Copan ESwab and a mid‐nasal sample from the other nostril was collected with the 3D‐printed swab. Results: In the laboratory evaluation, qualitative agreement with regard to SARS‐CoV‐2 detection in mock samples collected with 3D‐printed swabs and two standard swabs was complete. In the clinical evaluation, qualitative agreement with regard to RNase P detection (a surrogate measure of adequate collection of human cellular material) in samples collected from 50 hospital staff members with standard and 3D‐printed swabs was complete. Qualitative agreement with regard to SARS‐CoV‐2 detection in three pairs of 3D‐printed mid‐nasal and standard swab samples from two inpatients with laboratory‐confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 was also complete. Conclusions: Using 3D‐printed swabs to collect nasal samples for SARS‐CoV‐2 testing is feasible, acceptable to patients and health carers, and convenient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: After Campylobacter infection was reported in a contract construction worker (contractor) at a chicken processing facility, we described the illness and determined illness associations with workforce exposure. Methods: Case finding was conducted by reportable disease surveillance and contractor interviews. A case was defined as either diarrhea and fever, or diarrhea lasting ≥3 days during January‐September, 2016. Results: Fourteen cases were identified among 74 contractors interviewed; four were laboratory‐confirmed (two Campylobacter, two Salmonella). Cases were more likely to perform electrical work (odds ratio [OR] 10.4, P < 0.001), take breaks in unofficial areas (OR 6.4, P = 0.01), bring drinks into work areas (OR 4.2, P = 0.02), and have contact with poultry fluids (OR 6.4, P = 0.03). Only 23 (31%) contractors reported infectious disease prevention training. Conclusions: This outbreak emphasizes the importance of training contractors for all potential hazards. Host employers and staffing agencies share responsibility for contractor safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Derivatives of 4-hydroxypyrimidine are an important class of biomolecules. These compounds can undergo keto-enol tautomerization in solution, though a search of the Cambridge Structural Database shows a strong bias toward the 3 H-keto tautomer in the solid state. Recrystallization of 2-amino-5,6-dimethyl-4-hydroxypyrimidine, C6H9N3O, from aqueous solution yielded triclinic crystals of the 1 H-keto tautomer, denoted form (I). Though not apparent in the X-ray data, the IR spectrum suggests that small amounts of the 4-hydroxy tautomer are also present in the crystal. Monoclinic crystals of form (II), comprised of a 1:1 ratio of both the 1 H-keto and the 3 H-keto tautomers, were obtained from aqueous solutions containing uric acid. Forms (I) and (II) exhibit one-dimensional and three-dimensional hydrogen-bonding motifs, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2,6-Diaminopyridine (26-DAP, C5H7N3) is a common intermediate in the synthesis of aromatic azo chromophores, which are widespread in the dyes and pigments industry. Sublimation of commercial 26-DAP powder yielded a new polymorph, denoted Form II, which grew as colorless orthorhombic needles. Recrystallization from acetone or toluene also yielded Form II as the major phase. Thermal analysis shows that Form II is a less stable polymorph and it converts upon heating at 335 K to the previously reported Form I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 25-year-old man who was presented to hospital due to non-specific abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea as well as discusses the development of fulminant meningococcal sepsis due to non-groupable Neisseria meningitidis in a patient treated with eculizumab.

Locally acquired extended-spectrum -lactamase Shigella infection Keywords: Sexually transmitted diseases; Infection control; Infectious diseases; Drug resistance, microbial His diarrhoea and abdominal pain persisted and a repeat stool culture was again positive for I S. flexneri i serotype 3a. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed resistance to azithromycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ceftriaxone. [Extracted from the article]