Case Reports in Infectious Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Unmasking <i>Balamuthia mandrillaris</i> Through PCR in a Case of Multifocal Brain Lesions.","authors":"Moamen Al Zoubi, Garry Jean-Louis, Kelly Sylvain, Cara Moll, Alison Schwartz VanEperen, Ammar Nasrallah, Amanda Carlson, Julie Duval, Norah Grady Letendre","doi":"10.1155/crdi/4411823","DOIUrl":"10.1155/crdi/4411823","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Balamuthia mandrillaris</i> is a rare free-living amoeba that causes granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE), a frequently fatal central nervous system infection. Diagnosis is often delayed because of nonspecific clinical presentation and radiographic findings. We describe a 70-year-old man with recent soil exposure in rural Mexico who developed progressive neurologic decline and multifocal enhancing brain lesions initially concerning for malignancy. Extensive infectious, oncologic, and autoimmune evaluations were unrevealing. Brain biopsy demonstrated dense granulomatous inflammation without identifiable organisms on routine stains. Definitive diagnosis was established via 18S rRNA PCR testing of brain tissue and subsequently confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A multidrug regimen including miltefosine and investigational nitroxoline was initiated but was complicated by renal and hepatic toxicity. Despite transient radiologic improvement, the patient experienced progressive disease and ultimately died. This case underscores the diagnostic difficulty of Balamuthia encephalitis and highlights the essential role of molecular diagnostics in identifying rare pathogens when conventional testing is inconclusive.</p>","PeriodicalId":9608,"journal":{"name":"Case Reports in Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"4411823"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13239223/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148197572","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Burrata and the Bean: A Rare Case of <i>Lactobacillus casei</i> Endocarditis Complicated by Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis.","authors":"Jason Chavez, Joseph Borick, Fernando Pedraza Taborda, Paola Lichtenberger","doi":"10.1155/crdi/7709602","DOIUrl":"10.1155/crdi/7709602","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Infective endocarditis occurs when there is an infection of the heart valves or associated cardiac hardware/devices. While typical organisms include <i>Staphylococcus</i> and <i>Streptococcus</i> species, there are reports of less common organisms such as <i>Lactobacillus</i> species as causative agents as well. Such infections can lead to complications, including renal failure from rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. A 79-year-old male presented with acute heart failure exacerbation in the setting of new severe mitral regurgitation. His acute on chronic kidney disease was attributed to his heart failure exacerbation and returned to baseline after diuresis on discharge. He had recurrent exacerbations with worsening renal function requiring hemodialysis and prompting a renal biopsy that showed rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephritis. While infectious causes were not initially suspected, blood cultures were drawn to evaluate this as a potential cause, which persistently grew <i>Lactobacillus casei</i>. The infectious diseases team was consulted, and the patient was treated with renally adjusted ampicillin, with repeat blood cultures returning negative. Immunosuppressive therapy was deferred due to concern for active infection, and the patient was treated with targeted antimicrobial therapy alone. This case illustrates an atypical and rare presentation of <i>Lactobacillus</i> infective endocarditis with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, as well as the balance one must make between the use of antibiotics versus immunosuppression in such patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":9608,"journal":{"name":"Case Reports in Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"7709602"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13239395/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148197436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Mycobacterium riyadhense</i> Infection Presenting as a Central Nervous System Mass: A Case Report.","authors":"Ibrahim Bahabri, Rahmah S Alzahrani, Nouf Althabit, Musaad A Alhurayyis, Salim Baharoon, Ahmad Alharbi","doi":"10.1155/crdi/2820094","DOIUrl":"10.1155/crdi/2820094","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Mycobacterium riyadhense</i> (<i>M. riyadhense</i>) is a slow-growing nontuberculous mycobacterium that is increasingly being recognized as a cause of pulmonary and extrapulmonary disease, primarily in Saudi Arabia. Here, we report a case of <i>M. riyadhense</i> with an unusual presentation as a central nervous system mass, with an initial diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis and notable improvement with the use of steroids and rituximab prior to establishing the final diagnosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":9608,"journal":{"name":"Case Reports in Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"2820094"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13213071/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148052860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Infertility Caused by Pelvic Tuberculosis: A Forgotten and Rare Diagnosis.","authors":"Maryam Hashemi, Maryam Dehghan","doi":"10.1155/crdi/3837614","DOIUrl":"10.1155/crdi/3837614","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Active tuberculosis (TB), caused by the <i>Mycobacterium TB</i> bacillus, has the highest mortality rate among all infectious diseases worldwide. TB can be classified into two forms: pulmonary and extrapulmonary. The majority of patients infected with TB clear the mycobacterium after the primary infection. Genital TB is usually secondary to hematogenous spread from a primary site, typically the lungs. Fertility can be impaired by genital TB, primarily due to involvement of the fallopian tubes, which are the most commonly affected site. In addition, infection of the uterus, ovaries, and peritoneum has also been reported.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>We describe two cases of pelvic TB identified during infertility workups focused on fallopian tube involvement. Both cases were managed with a combination of surgical and medical therapies.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Female genital TB typically presents with infertility, abdominal pain, or menstrual disturbances. Imaging studies often reveal nonspecific findings. Laparoscopic surgery can provide more definitive diagnostic information. A biopsy is useful for confirming the diagnosis of TB more accurately and rapidly. Treatment of genital TB requires a four-drug regimen due to the high recurrence rate and the prevalence of drug-resistant strains. In cases of large abscesses or fallopian tube obstruction, surgical intervention may be necessary.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Given the increasing trends in immigration from TB-endemic areas and the established relationship between pelvic TB and infertility, it is advisable to consider TB as a potential cause of infertility in women from these regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":9608,"journal":{"name":"Case Reports in Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"3837614"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13201866/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148041261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cryptococcal Osteomyelitis in a Virally Suppressed Adolescent Living With HIV: A Case Report.","authors":"Linda A Mandikiyana Chirimuta, Christina Rambanapasi, David Musorowegomo, Gilbert Nyatanga, Augustine Mapfumo, Eliot F Chikati","doi":"10.1155/crdi/4804916","DOIUrl":"10.1155/crdi/4804916","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Cryptococcal neoformans</i> infection of the central nervous system (CNS) is well-documented in Sub-Saharan Africa due to its association with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic. While cryptococcal infections can occur at sites other than the CNS, such as in the bones, these instances are less common and have been inadequately documented in the region. Orthopedic cryptococcal infections arise when the organism is inhaled from the environment and subsequently disseminates from the lungs via the bloodstream to the bones. Due to its low incidence and atypical manifestations, cryptococcal osteomyelitis may be overlooked, leading to delayed treatment and potential complications. This case report describes a 12-year-old female patient who presented with pain and swelling in both knee joints one year after initiating treatment for cryptococcal meningitis, which had been only partially effective. On examination, both knee joints exhibited swelling and tenderness, and imaging revealed bilateral pathological fractures in the distal third of the femurs. Histological analysis demonstrated numerous fungal elements consistent with <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i>. Treatment was initiated with liposomal amphotericin B at a single dose of 10 mg/kg, in conjunction with flucytosine at 100 mg/kg/day and fluconazole at 1200 mg/day. This was followed by a consolidation phase with fluconazole at 800 mg/day, after which the patient was maintained on fluconazole at 200 mg/day. After 52 weeks of treatment, the patient exhibited a favorable clinical response, with successful union of the fractures. In individuals living with HIV, <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i> may present atypically with involvement of sites outside the CNS, including the skeletal system. Although cryptococcal osteomyelitis is rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis in this population. Favorable outcomes can be achieved with prolonged antifungal therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":9608,"journal":{"name":"Case Reports in Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"4804916"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13200055/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148027377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Combined Cryptococcal and Bacterial Meningitis in an Immunocompetent 15-Year-Old: A Case Report.","authors":"Martha Ann Mbonye, Edna Joyce Nagaddya","doi":"10.1155/crdi/4601111","DOIUrl":"10.1155/crdi/4601111","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Cryptococcal meningitis is a serious fungal infection of the meninges, typically seen in immunosuppressed patients. The occurrence of cryptococcal meningitis in immunocompetent individuals is very rare. Coinfection with bacterial meningitis is even more unusual.</p><p><strong>Primary diagnoses interventions and outcomes: </strong>We report the case of a 15-year-old male who presented to a district hospital in rural Western Uganda with a 2-week history of severe headache, altered mentation, vomiting, and high-grade fever unresponsive to initial empirical treatment for cryptococcal meningitis. Subsequent evaluation revealed a combined fungal and bacterial meningeal infection. Tailored antifungal and antibacterial therapy led to significant clinical improvement, though residual neurological sequelae persisted at discharge.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This case highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in low-resource settings. High clinical vigilance, even for those with no comorbidities or immunosuppression, and the use of easily available diagnostic modalities can help with early diagnosis and better outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":9608,"journal":{"name":"Case Reports in Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"4601111"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13199854/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148027335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Case Report of <i>Bordetella holmesii</i> Concomitant Vascular Graft Infection and Native Vertebral Osteomyelitis.","authors":"Joya-Rita Hindy, Ryan W Stevens, Sergio L Alvarez-Mulett, Aaron J Tande, Walter R Wilson, Aditya S Shah","doi":"10.1155/crdi/5528529","DOIUrl":"10.1155/crdi/5528529","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Bordetella holmesii</i> is a fastidious Gram-negative coccobacillus that was first isolated in 1983. It is an infrequent human pathogen, predominantly limited to asplenic and other immunocompromised hosts. We describe herein the first reported case of vascular graft infection caused by <i>B. holmesii</i> with concomitant native vertebral osteomyelitis in an immunocompetent patient.</p>","PeriodicalId":9608,"journal":{"name":"Case Reports in Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5528529"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13189503/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147986779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Scedosporium apiospermum</i> Infective Endocarditis With Brain Abscesses in a Lung Transplant Recipient: Review of the Literature and Evaluating the Use of Next-Generation Sequencing.","authors":"Emily Wong, Julie England, Vidya Jagadeesan","doi":"10.1155/crdi/8041837","DOIUrl":"10.1155/crdi/8041837","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Scedosporium apiospermum</i> is an emerging cause of invasive mold infection in immunocompromised hosts, often with central nervous system involvement and limited susceptibility to amphotericin B. We describe a 36-year-old lung transplant recipient who presented with fever, meningismus, and multiple enhancing brain lesions nine months post-transplant. Cerebrospinal fluid studies, including metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), were negative. Cardiac imaging revealed a pedunculated right ventricular septal mass, and plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing (Karius) identified <i>S. apiospermum</i>. Subsequent brain biopsy and thrombectomy confirmed the diagnosis by histopathology and culture. Following surgical removal of the cardiac mass and treatment with voriconazole, the patient improved with near resolution of brain lesions. This case highlights disseminated <i>S. apiospermum</i> endocarditis diagnosed by plasma cfDNA despite negative CSF mNGS, underscoring that site-specific mNGS may be falsely negative in compartmentalized infections. Plasma cfDNA testing can complement conventional and tissue-based diagnostics for early detection of disseminated mold infections in transplant recipients.</p>","PeriodicalId":9608,"journal":{"name":"Case Reports in Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"8041837"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13181211/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147970759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Delayed Emergency Department Diagnosis of Rat-Bite Fever.","authors":"Christopher A Anderson, Matthew P Lazio","doi":"10.1155/crdi/8876337","DOIUrl":"10.1155/crdi/8876337","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rat bite fever, caused by <i>Streptobacillus moniliformis</i> and <i>Spirillum minus</i>, is a zoonotic infection with increasing prevalence as more people keep rats as pets. It is a challenging diagnosis due to a broad range of symptomatology, and its causative organisms are difficult to culture. As such, it may be necessary to be diagnosed presumptively in the appropriate clinical context. This report details a case where diagnosis was presumptively made on a second emergency department presentation after no diagnosis was made on the first presentation. The patient in this case presented with fever, rash, and arthralgias, though presenting symptoms can vary from case to case. While treatable with penicillin or other antibiotics, it may lead to severe complications when diagnosis is delayed or failed. This patient was successfully treated with ceftriaxone followed by cephalexin (chosen due to a penicillin allergy) and made a complete recovery without complication. Taking a complete and thorough history is essential to ensuring that the diagnosis is made and that therapy is initiated in a timely manner.</p>","PeriodicalId":9608,"journal":{"name":"Case Reports in Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"8876337"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13181147/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147970748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Case Report of a Solitary Brain Abscess due to <i>Nocardia veterana</i> in a Host Without Known Immunodeficiency.","authors":"Lauren Wells, Madeleine Purcell, Lo Tamburro, Joel V Chua, Nazary Nebeluk, James B Doub","doi":"10.1155/crdi/3980803","DOIUrl":"10.1155/crdi/3980803","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nocardiosis is a rare bacterial infection caused by a wide array of species of the genus <i>Nocardia</i>. These microbes are found ubiquitously in soil and cause infection mainly when immunocompromised hosts inhale these bacteria or from direct inoculation through breaks in the skin. Once infection is established, <i>Nocardia</i> spp. have a predilection to spread to the central nervous system, causing brain abscesses. Here, we present a rare case of a solitary <i>Nocardia veterana</i> brain abscess in a patient without known immunodeficiency who was successfully treated with an 8-week course of antibiotics. Overall, this case highlights an unusual bacterial pathogen in an atypical host successfully treated with a shorter course of antibiotics, an approach that may not be generalizable. It reinforces that opportunistic infections do occur in immunocompetent hosts, but clinical presentations may be obscured by limited symptoms and insidious courses.</p>","PeriodicalId":9608,"journal":{"name":"Case Reports in Infectious Diseases","volume":"2026 ","pages":"3980803"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13181143/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147970695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}