Intestinal Spirochaetosis-A case series from the developing world

2021 ◽  
pp. 004947552110490
Author(s):  
Zain Majid ◽  
Ghazi Abrar ◽  
Hina Ismail ◽  
Muhammad Danish ◽  
Muhammad Mubarak ◽  
...  

Spirochaetes comprise a heterogenous group of gram negative, motile, spiral shaped bacteria. Some of these pathogens are known to cause numerous human diseases such as Lyme disease, relapsing fever, syphilis and leptospirosis. However, intestinal spirochetosis is a rare condition. Patients frequently present with long-term complaints of loose stools, abdominal pain and weight loss and rectal bleeding. Hence to establish a diagnosis an endoscopy with biopsy is required. In this article, we describe four such cases, having different ages and socio- economic background, successfully treated with a short course of metronidazole.

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miral Subhani ◽  
Kaleem Rizvon ◽  
Paul Mustacchia

Obesity is an epidemic in our society, and rates continue to rise, along with comorbid conditions associated with obesity. Unfortunately, obesity remains refractory to behavioral and drug therapy but has shown response to bariatric surgery. Not only can long-term weight loss be achieved, but a majority of patients have also shown improvement of the comorbid conditions associated with obesity. A rise in the use of surgical therapy for management of obesity presents a challenge with an increased number of patients with problems after bariatric surgery. It is important to be familiar with symptoms following bariatric surgery, such as nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain, dysphagia, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding and to utilize appropriate available tests for upper gastrointestinal tract pathology in the postoperative period.


2015 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Delisle ◽  
Jade Seguin ◽  
David Zeilinski ◽  
Dorothy L Moore

ObjectiveTo provide an insight into the presentation, diagnosis and management of paediatric abdominal tuberculosis (TB) in developed countries.MethodsThe records of all children at the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) admitted with abdominal TB between 1990 and 2014 were reviewed. An automated and manual literature search from 1946 to 2014 was performed.Results(1) Case series: six cases were identified at the MCH. All were male between 5 and 17 years of age. All were from populations known to have high rates of TB (aboriginal, immigrant). Three underwent major surgical interventions and three underwent ultrasound (US) or CT aspiration or biopsy for diagnosis. (2) Literature review: 29 male (64%) and 16 female subjects (36%) aged between 14 months and 18 years were identified, including the MCH patients. All patients except one were from populations with a high incidence of TB. Most presented with a positive tuberculin skin test (90%), abdominal pain (76%), fever (71%) and weight loss (68%). On imaging, 22 (49%) were classified with gastrointestinal TB with colonic wall irregularity (41%) and 19 (42%) with peritoneal TB with ascites (68%). A positive culture was obtained in 33 (73%) patients. Three cases used CT- or US-guided aspiration or biopsy to obtain tissue samples. A surgical intervention was performed in 34 (76%) children; 13 (38%) of these were for diagnosis.ConclusionsDiagnosis based on clinical features (abdominal pain, fever and weight loss) and CT- or US-guided aspiration or biopsy may encourage physicians to adopt a more conservative approach to abdominal TB.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 435-442
Author(s):  
James Franklin

Crohn’s disease is a chronic relapsing gastrointestinal condition. It is an inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, but most commonly affects the terminal ileum and colon. Individuals can present with a wide variety of symptoms, but diarrhoea, abdominal pain and weight loss are the most common. It is a rare condition, but GPs play an important role in recognising Crohn’s disease and supporting patients through their lifelong treatment.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 1982-1982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Hermine ◽  
Isabelle Hirsh ◽  
Gandhi Damaj ◽  
Catherine Granpeix ◽  
Stéphane Barète ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 1982 Background: Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a myeloproliferative disabling disorder for which no consensual curative therapy is currently available. Preliminary experiences in small groups of patients using cladribine (2-CdA) were encouraging, but no long term follow-up to evaluate its efficacy and safety have been reported. Patients and Methods: We studied the efficacy and safety of 2-CdA in 44 patients with mastocytosis enrolled in a compassionate program in France. Characteristics of patients were as follows: 22 male, 22 female, mean age 54y (18-83y), mean duration of disease 13 y (6m-39y). Symptoms of the disease included pigmentosa urticaria (31), Fatigue (35), flushs (24), prurit (24), abdominal pain (21), Ascite (9), diarrhea (23), weight loss (16), Headache (14), Cough (10), splenomegaly (20), Lymph nodes (6), Bone fractures (6), pleural effusions (2), Neuropsychological symptoms (19). Blood cell count showed eosinophils >0.5g/l (10), Hb<10 gr/dl (10), Platelets<100 (9), neutrophils <1g/l (1), and high liver enzyme>2N (1/44). Patients were classified as having cutaneous mastocytosis (CM) (n=3) indolent SM (n=19), smoldering (SSM) (n=3), aggressive SM (ASM) (n=12) or SM with an associated clonal hematologic non-MC-lineage (AHNMD) (n=6), mast cell leukemia (n=1). Mean tryptase level was 158 (2.7-1240). All failed previous symptomatic therapy and/or recombinant interferon-a(n=10) or kinase inhibitors (n=7). Treatment consisted in intravenous 2-CdA (1 to 6 cycles of 0.15 mg/kg/d administered in a 2-hour infusion or subcutaneously for 5 d, repeated at 4–12 weeks), the mean number of infusion was 4.1 (1-15) to treat severe SM-related infiltration or symptoms. Results: After a median follow up of 35m (0-96m) 28 pts were alive, 14 were dead (all with ASM/ASM-AHNMD/MCL of mastocytosis progression n=5, Solid neoplasia n=2, hematological malignancy n= 3, septic shok n=4) and 2 were lost of follow up. Safety anlalysis showed 18 acute (pneumonia n=3) but no opportunistic infections except two zoster infections, and one renal tubulopathy. Five solid neoplasia were reported and one AML. Responses were observed for most of the symptoms with improvement of pigmentosa urticaria (n=24/31), fatigue (n=17/35), flushs (14/24), prurit (9/24), abdominal pain (9/21), Ascite (1/9), diarrhea (11/23), weight loss (8/16), Headache (4/14), Cough (5/10), splenomegaly (7/20), Lymph nodes (2/6), pleural effusions (0/2), Neuropsychological symptoms (5/19). Eosinophils count was normalized in 7/10 cases, Hb<10 gr/dl (1/12), Platelets<100 (0/9), neutrophils <1g/l (1). Tryptase levels decrease to 95 (1-867). Overall according to WHO criteria, major and partial response were observed in 7/12 ASM, none of ASM with AHNMD, 3/3 SSM, 17/19 ISM, 2/3 CM. Responses were in most of the cases transient with a median duration of 19.5m (0-72). Conclusion: As a single agent, cladribine is an effective and safe treatment in symptomatic and aggressive SM. Cladribine improves significantly symptoms associated with the disease and may induce regression of mast cell tumoral burden. Its tolerability and efficacy argues for the possibility to use it even in ISM and symptomatic CM. Cladribine is ineffective to improve AHNMD. Further work is warranted to define the optimal regimen with respect to dose and schedule, and the usefulness of maintenance cladribine therapy. Disclosures: Hermine: Lipomed: Research Funding. Off Label Use: Cladribine.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Hermes-Laufer ◽  
Lola Del Puppo ◽  
Ihsan Inan ◽  
François-Xavier Troillet ◽  
Omar Kherad

Introduction.Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) is a rare condition that includes cyclic severe vomiting in subjects who have been consuming large doses of cannabis for several years. One of the major diagnostic criteria is the alleviation of symptoms by hot showers. The syndrome was first described in 2004 and is so far neither completely understood nor well known. The latter leads to continued morbidity in concerned subjects and unnecessary expenses for futile investigations. Standard treatments of vomiting as 5-HT3 or D2-receptor antagonists have been shown to be ineffective in alleviating the symptoms. The only long-term satisfying treatment option is the complete abstinence from cannabis consumption.Case Summary.In this case report we describe a 26-year-old male Caucasian long-term cannabis consumer who repeatedly presented in our emergency room with cyclic severe nausea and vomiting ceased by hot showers and resistant to all other treatments. The final diagnosis was not established until his third visit to the ER.Conclusion.CHS is an important differential diagnosis in patients who present with cyclic vomiting and abdominal pain with a history of long-term cannabis use. Recognition of this syndrome is important in order to avoid unnecessary clinical testing and to help the patients break the cycle of drug use.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1098612X2110262
Author(s):  
Kaitlin N Bahlmann ◽  
Steven J Bailey ◽  
Toni S Brooks

Case series summary Gastric diverticulum (GD) is a rare condition that is described adequately in humans but has not been reported in cats. This case series describes six cats with GD, including three that were published in a previous abstract. All cats presented for a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, including chronic vomiting, weight loss and anorexia, and underwent negative contrast radiography to diagnose GD. All but one cat underwent surgical resection of the GD via partial gastrectomy, while the remaining cat was euthanized. Resection of the GD was associated with reduction of reported clinical signs. Relevance and novel information Gastric diverticula have never been reported in the cat. Negative contrast radiography appears to be a superior imaging technique in the diagnosis of feline GD. In cats with a vague chronic history, including vomiting, anorexia and weight loss, GD should be considered among the differential diagnoses. Further study and more cases need to be identified to better assess clinical problems referable to GD in the absence of other comorbidities. Maine Coon cats with GD appear to be over-represented.


2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Titus F.M. Wijnands ◽  
Marten A. Lantinga ◽  
Joost P.H. Drenth

Mass-related symptoms caused by hepatic cysts are effectively treated by aspiration sclerotherapy (AS). This minimal-invasive intervention is regarded as a safe procedure. Hence, occurrence of complications is low. Transient fever is commonly reported as a side effect. However, documentation on a post-procedural hepatic cyst infection as a complication of AS is limited. We present five cases in which a tentative diagnosis of postprocedural hepatic cyst infection was made. Patients typically presented with abdominal pain and fever, had to be admitted to our hospital, and were treated with long term antibiotics. Ultimately, the cyst infection successfully resolved with ciprofloxacin in all cases.


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