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We report a rare case of culture negative L4-L5 discitis and epidural abscess in an immunocompetent child who had dry cupping therapy performed to treat low back strain. The causative pathogen was identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia by shotgun metagenomic sequencing of spinal cord aspirate after more than one month of unsuccessful empirical treatment with 6 different antibiotics. The patient was successfully treated with Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and minocycline. Cupping therapy is a very popular medical procedure widely used in China, but the potential risk for severe infections such as discitis and epidural abscess described in this case should be recognized.

Whipple disease was reported in 1907 and is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei (1). This disease can involve multiple organs and systems and has a [...]

Abstract Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a blood borne infectious disease that affects the liver. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) may serve as a cell source for adult stem cell transplantation in liver repair. However, the susceptibility of human BMSCs to HBV infection is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the infection and replication of HBV in cultures of human BMSCs. Results Human BMSCs were confirmed using flow cytometry. Intracellular HBV DNA was detected at d 2 after infection and maintained at relatively high levels from d 6 to d 12. The maximal level of intracellular HBV DNA was 9.37 × 105 copies/mL. The extracellular HBV DNA was observed from d 3 to d 15, and the levels ranged from 3.792 × 102 copies/mL to 4.067 × 105 copies/mL. HBsAg in the culture medium was detected from d 2 to d 16. HBeAg secretion was positive from d 5 to d 13. HBcAg constantly showed positive signals in approximately 7%-20% of BMSCs from 2 days after exposure. Intracellular HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) could be detected as early as 2 days postinfection, and strong signals were obtained with increasing time. Conclusion HBV can infect and replicate in human BMSCs. Human BMSCs may be a useful tool for investigating HBV life-cycle and the mechanism of initial virus-cell interactions.

To help clarify the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment for Whipple disease, we report a case of a man in China infected with Tropheryma whipplei. The patient had multiple subcutaneous nodules as the only manifestation, which was not consistent with the typical symptoms of T. whipplei infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What Is Already Known About This Topic?: Brucellosis of the central nervous system (CNS) is rare and frequently fatal, often being overlooked or misdiagnosed., What Is Added by This Report?: In April 2023, the Jinan CDC identified a case of CNS brucellosis in a 54-year-old woman through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture. Upon confirming the diagnosis of brucellosis, the Jinan CDC immediately informed Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, to which the patient had been transferred, and she was subsequently tracked and successfully treated., What Are the Implications for Public Health Practice?: The successful outcome can be attributed to the effective integration of a system that facilitated coordinated and collaborative actions between public health services and clinical institutions., Competing Interests: No conflicts of interest., (Copyright and License information: Editorial Office of CCDCW, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2024.)