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Background Pneumonia frequently affects solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, with high morbidity and mortality. However, the few studies on pneumonia in this population are mainly retrospective, single-center, and long-term studies, or include patients with only one type of SOT or a specific etiology. We performed a point prevalence study to investigate epidemiology, diagnosis, therapy, and outcome of pneumonia in an unselected SOT population. Methods Italian and Spanish transplant centers were invited to report on all SOT recipients with pneumonia treated during 2 separate weeks (1 each in February and June 2012). Results In total, 35 centers (18 in Italy, 17 in Spain) agreed to participate and collected 54 cases. The incidence of pneumonia was 10.1 episodes/1000 recipients/year. Pneumonia was classified as late (>6 months) in 70.4% of cases. Pneumonia was also classified as community-acquired (CAP), healthcare-associated (HCAP), and hospital-acquired (HAP) pneumonia in 40.7%, 38.9%, and 20.4% of cases, respectively. An attempt to microbiological diagnosis (≥1 sample) was made in 94.4% of patients, with a diagnostic yield of 60.7%. Causative agents included bacteria (87.1%), virus (29%), and fungi (6.4%). A multidrug-resistant bacterium was isolated in 18.2%, 40%, and 100% of patients with CAP, HCAP, and HAP (P = 0.007), respectively. Overall, 11.1% of patients were admitted to the intensive care unit, 3.7% developed graft rejection, and graft function deteriorated in 18.5%. In-hospital mortality was 1.9%. Conclusion Pneumonia remains a frequent problem in SOT recipients, although it occurs later in patients who are in better physical health. Therefore, harmful pathogens and worse outcome are less common than previously thought.

We present the case of a 31-year-old man hospitalized for the study of a fever syndrome. The patient developed acute respiratory failure, with anemia and hepatic affection. In the histological examination of the liver and bone marrow, the presence of granulomas suggesting a tuberculous etiology was demonstrated. Antibodies IgG anti-Coxiella burnetti were detected, using indirect immunofluorescence, at the level of 1/200, with latter seroconversion to 1/800. Therapy with doxycycline was administered (200 mg/day during 14 days). Fever subsided in 24 hours and the other clinico-biochemical disorders disappeared in the following days. After the literature review, we conclude that Q fever must be taken into account for the differential diagnosis of any granulomatous disease observed in the liver and/or bone marrow. We can confirm that any granuloma is specific of just one pathological entity. The diagnosis must be always supported by other clinical, supplementary and serological data.

Syphilis is an ever changing disease with an increasing incidence in the last years. Diagnosis of neurological damage remains on cerebrospinal fluid studies and serologic test in patients with appropriate clinical manifestations. Modern neuroimaging techniques are now available in the diagnostic workup of patients with neurosyphilis. Our experience with such techniques in two patients with meningo-vascular syphilis and general paresis points out to the role of magnetic resonance imaging in disclosing ischemic lesions in these patients, although these lesions were not absolutely specific of the disease.