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Heartland virus (HRTV; genus Phlebovirus, family Phenuiviridae [previously Bunyaviridae]) is a suspected tickborne pathogen in the United States (1). The virus was initially identified in 2009, and 9 cases of [...]

To the Editor: During the current (2014) enterovirus/ rhinovirus season in the United States, enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is circulating at an unprecedented level. As of October 6, 2014, the Centers [...]

Doctors report four cases of human ehrlichiosis caused by Ehrlichia ewingii. Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne disease that affects humans, dogs, horses, deer and rodents. So far, only four species of Ehrlicia have been found in humans: chaffeensis, sennetsu, canis and an unidentified species related to equi and phagocytophila. The polymerase chain reaction confirmed that the DNA found in white blood cells from these patients belonged to Ehrlichia ewingii, a species normally found in dogs. All four patients were treated with doxycycline and all recovered.

Background: Infection with rhinovirus (HRV) occurs following pediatric lung transplantation. Prospective studies documenting frequencies, persistence, and progression of HRV in this at‐risk population are lacking. Methods: In the Clinical Trials in Organ Transplant in Children prospective observational study, we followed 61 lung transplant recipients for 2 years. We quantified molecular subtypes of HRV in serially collected nasopharyngeal (NP) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples and correlated them with clinical characteristics. Results: We identified 135 community‐acquired respiratory infections (CARV) from 397 BAL and 480 NP samples. We detected 93 HRV events in 42 (68.8%) patients, 22 of which (23.4%) were symptomatic. HRV events were contiguous with different genotypes identified in 23 cases, but symptoms were not preferentially associated with any particular species. Nine (9.7%) HRV events persisted over multiple successive samples for a median of 36 days (range 18‐408 days). Three persistent HRV were symptomatic. When we serially measured forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) in 23 subjects with events, we did not observe significant decreases in lung function over 12 months post‐HRV. Conclusion: In conjunction with our previous reports, our prospectively collected data indicate that molecularly heterogeneous HRV infections occur commonly following pediatric lung transplantation, but these infections do not negatively impact clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summarizes the characteristics of patients coinfected with HIV and Ehrlichia chaffeensis or Ehrlichia ewingii. Epidemiology of the infections; Demographics of the patients; Clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients; Severity of the infections.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is known to cause aseptic meningitis, which can be recurrent. The diagnosis of HSV-2 infection is suggested when meningitis occurs simultaneously with genital lesions but may be obscure if genital lesions are not present or are not appreciated. Viral culture of the CSF is sometimes positive, but it may also be negative, especially in cases of recurrent disease. We report three cases of HSV meningitis in young women who did not have a history of genital herpetic lesions and for whom genital lesions were not noted on presentation. With use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), HSV DNA was detected in CSF from all three patients. The diagnosis of HSV meningitis was further confirmed by a positive culture of CSF in one patient's case and by demonstration of intrathecal synthesis of HSV antibodies in a second patient's case. The use of PCR can improve the recognition of HSV meningitis in adults presenting with aseptic meningitis, even in the absence of herpetic lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]