Simultaneous genital ulcer and meningitis: a case of EBV infection

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a broad spectrum of diseases, mainly because of its genomic characteristics, which result in different latency patterns in immune cells and infective mechanisms. The patient described in this report is a previously healthy young man who presented to the emergency department with clinical features consistent with meningitis and genital ulcers, which raised concern that the herpes simplex virus was the causative agent. However, the polymerase chain reaction of cerebral spinal fluid was positive for EBV. The authors highlight the importance of this infection among the differential diagnosis of central nervous system involvement and genital ulceratio

Simultaneous genital ulcer and meningitis: a case of EBV infection

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a broad spectrum of diseases, mainly because of its genomic characteristics, which result in different latency patterns in immune cells and infective mechanisms. The patient described in this report is a previously healthy young man who presented to the emergency department with clinical features consistent with meningitis and genital ulcers, which raised concern that the herpes simplex virus was the causative agent. However, the polymerase chain reaction of cerebral spinal fluid was positive for EBV. The authors highlight the importance of this infection among the differential diagnosis of central nervous system involvement and genital ulceratio

Adult-onset opsoclonus-myoclonus-ataxia syndrome as a manifestation of brazilian lyme disease-like syndrome: a case report and review of literature

Described in 1962, the opsoclonus-myoclonus-ataxia syndrome (OMAS) is a rare, neurologically debilitating disorder with distinct characteristics that may begin in childhood or adult life. Although many cases remain without etiological diagnosis, others are related to neoplasms and infectious diseases. We report a 41-year-old previously healthy male with an 8-day history of headache, vertigo, nausea, vomiting, and nystagmus. After a normal brain computed tomography and lymphocytic pleocytosis in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), intravenous acyclovir therapy was initiated in the emergency room. On the third day of hospitalization, the diagnosis of OMAS was made based on the presence of chaotic and irregular eye movements, dysarthric speech, gait instability, generalized tremor, and myoclonic jerks. In the face of his neurological worsening, ampicillin followed by nonspecific immunotherapy (methylprednisolone and intravenous immunoglobulin) was prescribed, with mild clinical improvement. After a thorough laboratory workup, the definite diagnosis of neuroborreliosis was established and ceftriaxone (4 g/daily/3wks) and doxycycline (200 mg/day/2 mo) was administered. Toward the end of the ceftriaxone regimen, the neurologic signs substantially improved. We believe this to be the first case description of OMAS as clinical presentation of Brazilian Lyme disease-like syndrome (Baggio-Yoshinari syndrome)

Non-invasive evaluation of the arterial wall properties in female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a rigidez e distensibilidade arterial em mulheres não-menopausadas portadoras de lúpus eritematoso sistêmico (LES), bem como a influência da atividade de doença sobre esses parâmetros. MÉTODOS: 37 pacientes lúpicas do sexo feminino com idade menor ou igual a 40 anos e com até 10 anos de doença foram selecionadas para o estudo. Os critérios de exclusão utilizados foram: tabagismo atual ou prévio, hipertensão arterial sistêmica, diabetes mellitus, obesidade, insuficiência renal crônica, síndrome antifosfolípide secundária e gravidez ou menopausa no momento do estudo. As pacientes foram divididas em portadoras de doença ativa (SLEDAI maior ou igual a 4) e não-ativa (SLEDAI menor que 4) e comparadas a 25 mulheres saudáveis. Todos os indivíduos participantes foram submetidos à avaliação de rigidez e distensibilidade arterial por mensuração da velocidade de onda de pulso (VOP) carótido-femoral e echo-tracking da artéria carótida comum direita. RESULTADOS: Houve diferença significativa em relação à VOP entre os grupos estudados (p=0.01). Pacientes com LES em atividade apresentaram menor VOP que pacientes fora de atividade (6.89 ± 1.00 vs. 7.79 ± 1.10 m/s, p4) or inactive (SLEDAI0.05): intima-media thickness (IMT) (p=0.50), diastolic diameter (p=0.34), distensibility coefficient (p=0.98), compliance coefficient (p=0.74), and elastic incremental modulus (p=0.87). IMT had a positive significant correlation with age (r=0.328, p=0.04) and a negative significant correlation with HDL (r=-0.366, p=0.03) and apolipoprotein A1 (r=-0.407, p=0.01). A trend of positive correlation between IMT and disease duration (r=0.306, p=0.06) was observed. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that SLE activity is responsible for alterations in arterial walls compatible with early atherosclerotic process, since the reduced arterial stiffness observed in active disease may be secondary to a greater inflammatory infiltration and foam cell formation

Chronic meningococcemia: a rare presentation of meningococcal disease: case report

Chronic meningococcemia is a rare clinical presentation within the spectrum of infections due to Neisseria meningitidis, which was first described in 1902. It is defined as a chronic and benign meningococcal bacteremia without meningeal signs or symptoms with at least one week’s duration, characterized by intermittent or continuous fever, polymorphic cutaneous rash, and migratory arthropathy. The incidence is believed to be around 1:200,000 inhabitants. It affects predominantly young people and adults, and it is equally distributed between genders. Diagnosis may be challenging in the early stages of the disease because of the difficulty in isolating Neisseria meningitidis (it reaches 74% of positivity in advanced stages). Recently, the use of PCR for detecting Neisseria sp antigen in skin biopsies specimens has been considered for those culture-negative cases. The authors report a case of a 54-year-old female patient who sought medical attention for a five-day fever followed by arthralgia and skin lesions predominantly in the lower limbs. The patient progressed to a toxemic clinical status that improved after the administration of antibiotic therapy, which consisted of oxacillin and ceftriaxone. The diagnosis of chronic meningococcemia was performed after the isolation of Neisseria meningitidis in two different blood sample cultures. This is, to our knowledge, the first case of chronic meningococcemia described in Brazil (up to the writing of this report)

Chronic meningococcemia: a rare presentation of meningococcal disease: case report

Chronic meningococcemia is a rare clinical presentation within the spectrumof infections due to Neisseria meningitidis, which was first described in 1902.It is defined as a chronic and benign meningococcal bacteremia withoutmeningeal signs or symptoms with at least one week’s duration, characterizedby intermittent or continuous fever, polymorphic cutaneous rash, and migratoryarthropathy. The incidence is believed to be around 1:200,000 inhabitants. Itaffects predominantly young people and adults, and it is equally distributedbetween genders. Diagnosis may be challenging in the early stages of thedisease because of the difficulty in isolating Neisseria meningitidis (it reaches74% of positivity in advanced stages). Recently, the use of PCR for detectingNeisseria sp antigen in skin biopsies specimens has been considered for thoseculture-negative cases. The authors report a case of a 54-year-old femalepatient who sought medical attention for a five-day fever followed by arthralgiaand skin lesions predominantly in the lower limbs. The patient progressed toa toxemic clinical status that improved after the administration of antibiotictherapy, which consisted of oxacillin and ceftriaxone. The diagnosis of chronicmeningococcemia was performed after the isolation of Neisseria meningitidisin two different blood sample cultures. This is, to our knowledge, the firstcase of chronic meningococcemia described in Brazil (up to the writing of thisreport)

Doença inflamatória intestinal com gangrena cutânea mimetizando a poliarterite nodosa Intestinal inflammatory disease with cuvaneous gangrene simulating polyarteritis nodosa

Descrevemos o caso de uma paciente com retocolite ulcerativa que apresentou gangrena cutânea secundária à trombose microvascular. Esta rara complicação da doença inflamatória intestinal é decorrente do estado de hipercoagulabilidade observado na sua fase de atividade inflamatória. Foi necessário estabelecer diagnóstico diferencial com poliarterite nodosa pelo acometimento abdominal e cutâneo. As alterações intestinais foram demonstradas pela colonoscopia com biópsia e as vasculares por ultrasonografia com Doppler de membros inferiores e biópsia da lesão cutânea. A paciente foi tratada com prednisona (1 mg/kg), sulfassalazina e anticoagulação plena e evoluiu com remissão da doença cutânea e intestinal.We reported a patient with ulcerative colitis who developed microvascular thrombosis with secondary cutaneous gangrene. This is an uncommon complication of bowel inflammatory disease due to the hypercoagulability state that occurs in the active inflammatory phase. Differential diagnosis with polyarteritis nodosa had to be performed due to the presence of abdominal and cutaneous manifestations. The diagnosis was confirmed by colonoscopy and biopsies of various segments of the bowel, Doppler ultrasonography of the legs and biopsy of the cutaneous lesion. The patient was treated with prednisone (1 mg/kg), sulfasalazine and anticoagulation, with remission of cutaneous and bowel manifestations