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Clinical Microbiology Reviews, Ahead of Print.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Ahead of Print.

Strange are the opportunities that presented themselves and where the path led during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It all began when I was at a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study section on 5–6 March 2020 in Washington, DC, expecting to fly to Boston for the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) when a Friday email announced the cancellation of in-person attendance at the conference (wisely). I had been looking forward to CROI, having worked for weeks to get visa appointments for two Ugandan scientists to travel to CROI to present their cryptococcal meningitis abstracts. My team makes an effort always to present cryptococcal abstracts at CROI so that people do not forget that opportunistic infections still exist worldwide. In March 2020, we were excited to have just launched a phase 2 trial to test oral amphotericin B formulation for cryptococcal meningitis.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Ahead of Print.

Abstract Background Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that afflicts both humans and animals. It progresses from flu-like symptoms to more severe hepatic and renal failure, and may also lead to aseptic meningitis. Individuals with autoimmune diseases (ADs) are potentially more susceptible to Leptospirosis. Thus far, limited data has documented the association between Leptospirosis and autoimmune disorders. Case presentation The patient had a definitive pathological diagnosis of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS). Due to recurrent headaches, the patient sought consultation with a neurologist. Lumbar puncture revealed elevated white blood cells and protein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid, along with decreased glucose. Tuberculous meningitis was suspected. Radiographic imaging exhibited meningeal enhancement, ventricular enlargement, and hydrocephalus. The patient commenced treatment with anti-tuberculosis therapy and corticosteroids. Subsequently, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of cerebrospinal fluid identified the presence of Leptospira interrogans. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with Leptospiral meningitis, and underwent antimicrobial and immunosuppressive therapy, resulting in stabilization of the condition and gradual symptom recovery. Conclusions The case highlights the challenges in diagnosing and managing leptospirosis-related meningitis in the presence of ADs and emphasizes the importance of utilizing HTS for accurate pathogen detection. The potential correlation between leptospirosis and SS warrants further investigation, as does the need for multidisciplinary involvement in treatment strategies for such complex cases. …

Abstract Background Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that afflicts both humans and animals. It progresses from flu-like symptoms to more severe hepatic and renal failure, and may also lead to aseptic meningitis. Individuals with autoimmune diseases (ADs) are potentially more susceptible to Leptospirosis. Thus far, limited data has documented the association between Leptospirosis and autoimmune disorders. Case presentation The patient had a definitive pathological diagnosis of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS). Due to recurrent headaches, the patient sought consultation with a neurologist. Lumbar puncture revealed elevated white blood cells and protein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid, along with decreased glucose. Tuberculous meningitis was suspected. Radiographic imaging exhibited meningeal enhancement, ventricular enlargement, and hydrocephalus. The patient commenced treatment with anti-tuberculosis therapy and corticosteroids. Subsequently, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of cerebrospinal fluid identified the presence of Leptospira interrogans. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with Leptospiral meningitis, and underwent antimicrobial and immunosuppressive therapy, resulting in stabilization of the condition and gradual symptom recovery. Conclusions The case highlights the challenges in diagnosing and managing leptospirosis-related meningitis in the presence of ADs and emphasizes the importance of utilizing HTS for accurate pathogen detection. The potential correlation between leptospirosis and SS warrants further investigation, as does the need for multidisciplinary involvement in treatment strategies for such complex cases. …

Abstract Background Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease that afflicts both humans and animals. It progresses from flu-like symptoms to more severe hepatic and renal failure, and may also lead to aseptic meningitis. Individuals with autoimmune diseases (ADs) are potentially more susceptible to Leptospirosis. Thus far, limited data has documented the association between Leptospirosis and autoimmune disorders. Case presentation The patient had a definitive pathological diagnosis of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS). Due to recurrent headaches, the patient sought consultation with a neurologist. Lumbar puncture revealed elevated white blood cells and protein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid, along with decreased glucose. Tuberculous meningitis was suspected. Radiographic imaging exhibited meningeal enhancement, ventricular enlargement, and hydrocephalus. The patient commenced treatment with anti-tuberculosis therapy and corticosteroids. Subsequently, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of cerebrospinal fluid identified the presence of Leptospira interrogans. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with Leptospiral meningitis, and underwent antimicrobial and immunosuppressive therapy, resulting in stabilization of the condition and gradual symptom recovery. Conclusions The case highlights the challenges in diagnosing and managing leptospirosis-related meningitis in the presence of ADs and emphasizes the importance of utilizing HTS for accurate pathogen detection. The potential correlation between leptospirosis and SS warrants further investigation, as does the need for multidisciplinary involvement in treatment strategies for such complex cases. …