Browsing by Subject "Communicable Diseases, Emerging"

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    Blastomyces helicus, a New Dimorphic Fungus Causing Fatal Pulmonary and Systemic Disease in Humans and Animals in Western Canada and the United States.
    (Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 2019-01) Schwartz, Ilan S; Wiederhold, Nathan P; Hanson, Kimberly E; Patterson, Thomas F; Sigler, Lynne

    Background

    Blastomyces helicus (formerly Emmonsia helica) is a dimorphic fungus first isolated from a man with fungal encephalitis in Alberta, Canada. The geographic range, epidemiology, and clinical features of disease are unknown.

    Methods

    We reviewed human and veterinary isolates of B. helicus identified among Blastomyces and Emmonsia isolates at the University of Alberta Microfungus Collection and Herbarium, University of Texas Health San Antonio's Fungus Testing Laboratory, and Associated Regional and University Pathologists Laboratories. Isolates were selected based on low Blastomyces dermatitidis DNA probe values and/or atypical morphology. Species identification was confirmed for most isolates by DNA sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer with or without D1/D2 ribosomal RNA regions. Epidemiological and clinical data were analyzed.

    Results

    We identified isolates from 10 human and 5 veterinary cases of B. helicus infection; all were referred from western regions of Canada and the United States. Isolates remained sterile in culture, producing neither conidia nor sexual spores in the mycelial phase, but often producing coiled hyphae. Isolates were most frequently cultured from blood and bronchoalveolar lavage in humans and lungs in animals. Most infected persons were immunocompromised. Histopathological findings included pleomorphic, small or variably sized yeast-like cells, with single or multiple budding, sometimes proliferating to form short, branching, hyphal-like elements. Disease carried a high case-fatality rate.

    Conclusions

    Blastomyces helicus causes fatal pulmonary and systemic disease in humans and companion animals. It differs from B. dermatitidis in morphological presentation in culture and in histopathology, by primarily affecting immunocompromised persons, and in a geographic range that includes western regions of North America.
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    Emerging arboviruses and implications for pediatric transplantation: A review.
    (Pediatric transplantation, 2019-02) Freeman, Megan Culler; Coyne, Carolyn B; Green, Michael; Williams, John V; Silva, Laurie A
    Recent years have brought a rise in newly emergent viral infections, primarily in the form of previously known arthropod-transmitted viruses that have increased significantly in both incidence and geographical range. Of particular note are DENV, CHIKV, and ZIKV, which are transmitted mostly by Aedes species of mosquitoes that exhibit a wide and increasing global distribution. Being important pathogens for the general population, these viruses have the potential to be devastating in the international transplant community, with graft rejection and death as possible outcomes of infection. In this review, we discuss the current state of knowledge for these viruses as well as repercussions of infection in the solid organ and HSCT population, with a focus, when possible, on pediatric patients.
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    From Hendra to Wuhan: what has been learned in responding to emerging zoonotic viruses.
    (Lancet (London, England), 2020-02) Wang, Lin-Fa; Anderson, Danielle E; Mackenzie, John S; Merson, Michael H