A review on the eco-epidemiology and clinical management of human granulocytic anaplasmosis and its agent in Europe

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the agent of tick-borne fever, equine, canine and human granulocytic anaplasmosis. The common route of A. phagocytophilum transmission is through a tick bite, the main vector in Europe being Ixodes ricinus. Despite the apparently ubiquitous presence of the pathogen A. phagocytophilum in ticks and various wild and domestic animals from Europe, up to date published clinical cases of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) remain rare compared to the worldwide status. It is unclear if this reflects the epidemiological dynamics of the human infection in Europe or if the disease is underdiagnosed or underreported. Epidemiologic studies in Europe have suggested an increased occupational risk of infection for forestry workers, hunters, veterinarians, and farmers with a tick-bite history and living in endemic areas. Although the overall genetic diversity of A. phagocytophilum in Europe is higher than in the USA, the strains responsible for the human infections are related on both continents. However, the study of the genetic variability and assessment of the difference of pathogenicity and infectivity between strains to various hosts has been insufficiently explored to date. Most of the European HGA cases presented as a mild infection, common clinical signs being pyrexia, headache, myalgia and arthralgia. The diagnosis of HGA in the USA was recommended to be based on clinical signs and the patient’s history and later confirmed using specialized laboratory tests. However, in Europe since the majority of cases are presenting as mild infection, laboratory tests may be performed before the treatment in order to avoid antibiotic overuse. The drug of choice for HGA is doxycycline and because of potential for serious complication the treatment should be instituted on clinical suspicion alone

Storylines of family medicine V: ways of thinking—honing the therapeutic self

Storylines of Family Medicine is a 12-part series of thematically linked essays with accompanying illustrations that explore the many dimensions of family medicine, as interpreted by individual family physicians and medical educators in the USA and elsewhere around the world. In 'V: ways of thinking-honing the therapeutic self', authors present the following sections: 'Reflective practice in action', 'The doctor as drug-Balint groups', 'Cultivating compassion', 'Towards a humanistic approach to doctoring', 'Intimacy in family medicine', 'The many faces of suffering', 'Transcending suffering' and 'The power of listening to stories.' May readers feel a deeper sense of their own therapeutic agency by reflecting on these essays

Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the diaphragm: case report and literature review Rabdomiossarcoma primário de diafragma: relato de caso e revisão da literatura

The authors report a case of primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the diaphragm, an extremely rare presentation with only 14 cases reported in the literature. An 18-year-old male presented 2 spontaneous occurrences of pneumothorax. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance showed a tumoral mass on the right diaphragmatic surface, and after biopsy, the diagnosis was compatible with spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma. Because the visceral pleura was invaded by the tumoral mass, a right pleuropneumonectomy was performed. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy, and there was no evidence of disease 15 months after the operation. Based on the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group (IRSG) criteria, which consider the extent of the disease and its surgical resectability, rhabdomyosarcomas can be classified into 4 groups. In clinical group I, which was the classification of our patient, the tumor is localized and completely resectable, which implies a good prognosis. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare tumor, and a good outcome may result if it is completely resected.<br>Os autores relatam um caso de rabdomiossarcoma primário de diafragma, uma apresentação extremamente rara, com apenas 14 casos descritos na literatura mundial. D.K., masculino, 18 anos, apresentou 2 episódios de pneumotórax espontâneo. Tomografia computadorizada e ressonância magnética evidenciaram massa em superfície diafragmática direita; após biópsia o diagnóstico foi compatível com rabdomiossarcoma embrionário tipo fusocelular, sendo realizada pleuropneumonectomia direita devido à presença de implante tumoral em pleura visceral. Ele recebeu quimioterapia adjuvante e se encontra livre de doença 15 meses após a cirurgia. Os rabdomiossarcomas podem ser divididos em quatro grupos cirúrgico-patológicos, baseados nos critérios do Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group (IRSG) que levam em consideração a extensão da doença e a decisão cirúrgica; no grupo I (como no caso aqui relatado) os pacientes possuem doença localizada completamente ressecada, apresentando o melhor prognóstico. O rabdomiossarcoma é um tumor raro, podendo ter bom prognóstico quando totalmente ressecado