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B cell-targeting strategies such as rituximab are widely used in B cell hematologic malignancies, rheumatologic and musculoskeletal diseases and a variety of autoimmune disorders. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how exposure to anti-CD20 treatment profoundly affects B cell functions involved in anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity and significantly impacts on the clinical and serological course of SARS-CoV-2 infection, long term immunity and vaccine responses. The data presented here suggest that the effects of B cell-depleting agents on adaptive immunity should be taken into account for the proper selection and interpretation of SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics and to guide appropriate therapeutic approaches and protective measures. Combination therapeutic strategies including immunotherapy in association with prolonged antiviral treatment may play a decisive role in the setting of B cell immune deficiencies.

Clinical Practice Points • Four B cell–depleted non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia after rituximab therapy were initially treated with a 5-day remdesivir course and steroids. After transient virologic and clinical response, they all experienced early relapse and subsequent prolonged disease course, with rapid and significant response to convalescent hyperimmune plasma in association with an extended course of remdesivir. The clinical observations here reported suggest that the immunological effects of Rituximab treatment in NHL patients should be taken into account for the proper choice and interpretation of SARS-CoV-2 laboratory tests and to guide the appropriate therapeutical approach.

Purpose: To describe a strategy to reduce Covid-19 spread among healthcare workers and provide ophthalmologists with recommendations useful for a possible second wave of Covid-19 in Autumn. Methods: Epidemiological surveillance at the Cà Foncello Hospital (Veneto, Italy) since 24 February 2020 to 24 April 2020 when the municipality of Treviso was hit by the Covid-19 outbreak. The number of naso-pharigeal (NP) swabs performed was 7010. Results: The number of infected among healthcare workers was 209/ 3924 (5.32%): medical doctors: 28 cases / 498 (5.6%). None among ophthalmologists; specialized nurses: 86/1294 (6.4%) None in the ophthalmic unit; intermediate care technicians: 68/463 (14.7%). The 46% of the positive tested were asymptomatic. We share key suggested actions for the reorganization in ophthalmological services: be part of a global epidemiological local strategy of containment (Testing, Tracing, Treating); protect your department: Keep on screening patients by telephone interview before entering the hospital; promote continuous and appropriate use of PPE both for doctors and for patients; make any effort to obtain a continuous flow of patients in every line of the ophthalmic service; treat appropriately any single patient with vision threatening condition; avoid unnecessary or futile testings and examinations. Conclusion: The Treviso model shows that it is possible and safe to keep on performing high risk hospital activities like ophthalmology, even in the epicenter of covid outbreak, if adequate actions are performed. We discuss about the value of NP swabs and serological tests as a strategy in case of a second wave of infections.

Strategies to improve management of patients with native valve endocarditis (NVE) are needed because of persistently high morbidity and mortality. We sought to assess the impact of an operative protocol of multidisciplinary approach on the outcome of patients with NVE. A formal policy for the care of infective endocarditis was introduced at our hospital in 2003 in which patients were referred to and managed by a preexisting team involving a cardiologist, a specialist in infectious diseases, and a cardiac surgeon. The initial multidisciplinary evaluation was performed within 12 hours of admission. Whenever conditions associated with impending hemodynamic impairment, high-risk for systemic embolization, or unsuccessful medical therapy were found, patients were operated on within 48 hours. Stable patients were evaluated weekly by the multidisciplinary team, and on-treatment surgery was performed whenever the above high-risk conditions had developed. Comparing the period 2003 through 2009 with 1996 through 2002 (when a multidisciplinary policy was not followed), patients were more numerous (190 vs 102), older (mean age 59.1 vs 54.2, p = 0.01), and had more co-morbidities (mean Charlson index 3.01 vs 2.31, p = 0.02). The pattern of infection did not change in terms of valve infected or paravalvular complications. In the second period, fewer patients had culture-negative NVE (8% vs 21%, p = 0.01) and worsened renal function (37% vs 58%, p = 0.001). A significant reduction in overall in-hospital mortality (28% to 13%, p = 0.02), mortality for surgery during the active phase (47% to 13%, p ≤0.001), and 3-year mortality (34% vs 16%, p = 0.0007) was observed. In conclusion, formalized, collaborative management led to significant improvement in NVE-related mortality, notwithstanding the less favorable patients' baseline characteristics.

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of an operative protocol with a multidisciplinary approach on the outcome of patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). A formal policy for the care of PVE was introduced at our hospital in 2003 in which patients were referred to and managed by a preexisting team involving a cardiologist, a specialist in infectious diseases, and a cardiac surgeon. All patients underwent transesophageal echocardiography as soon as clinical suspicion of PVE arose. If high-risk conditions such as heart failure, ring abscess, conditions associated with impending malfunctioning of the prosthesis, or vegetations at high risk for systemic embolization were found during the initial multidisciplinary evaluation (performed within 12 hours of admission), patients were operated on within 48 hours. Stable patients were evaluated weekly by the multidisciplinary team, and on-treatment surgery was performed whenever high-risk conditions developed or when there was persistent fever/bacteremia after 1 week of adequate antibiotic therapy. Comparing the period 2003 through 2009 with 1996 through 2002 (when a multidisciplinary policy was not followed), patients with PVE were more numerous (61 vs 38), older (mean age 68.3 vs 63.1, p = 0.01), and had more co-morbidities (mean Charlson index 3.15 vs 2.42, p = 0.03). The most frequent causative organisms were Staphylococci in both periods. In the second period, fewer patients had delayed diagnosis (39% vs 71%, p = 0.03), heart failure (20% vs 45%, p = 0.01), abscess (20% vs 39%, p = 0.04), culture-negative infective endocarditis (11% vs 29%, p = 0.03), and worsened renal function (21% vs 42%, p = 0.04). A significant reduction in in-hospital mortality (53% to 23%, p = 0.04) and 3-year mortality (60% to 28%, p = 0.001) was observed, driven by the increased number of patients successfully treated with medical therapy alone (44% vs 16%, p = 0.04). In conclusion, formalized, collaborative management led to significant improvement in PVE-related mortality.

Even in the modern era of advanced diagnostic imaging, improved antibiotic therapy and potentially curative surgery, infective endocarditis remains a serious disease with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Reasons for such a persistently poor outcome may be represented by the changing epidemiology and microbiology, with new groups of patients at risk and new and more aggressive microorganisms. However, the inadequate use of both diagnostic (blood cultures and echocardiography) and therapeutic (antibiotics and surgery) means can influence the generally delayed diagnosis and poor prognosis seen in patients with infective endocarditis. We tried to identify the critical points in the management of patients with infective endocarditis and to elaborate a formal multidisciplinary approach based on the strict collaboration of specialists in infectious diseases, microbiology, cardiology and cardiac surgery. We hypothesized that this approach could increase the adherence to the published guidelines, and could represent a means to improve the outcome of patients with infective endocarditis.

The diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) is sometimes difficult when there are discrepancies between blood cultures, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and clinical judgment. The aim of this study was to assess the incremental diagnostic value of 18 F-FDG-PET/CT in 45 consecutive patients (73% male, mean age 61 ± 26 years) with suspected IE and inconclusive tests at admission. In 28 patients (19 with a cardiac valvular (15) or nonvalvular (4) device) with blood cultures positive for germs typically involved in IE the initial TEE was negative or inconclusive. In 10 patients presenting with fever TEE identified cardiac lesion possibly related to IE (ruptured mitral chordae, thickened valve leaflet, thickened prosthetic annulus), but blood cultures were persistently negative. Finally, 7 patients had metastatic or embolic lesions and a predisposing cardiac condition, but TEE was negative. When previous unknown lesions detected by PET/CT were confirmed by succeeding examinations, they were considered true positives. When PET/CT was negative, it was compared with the final diagnosis that was defined according to the modified Duke criteria determined during a 6-month follow-up. Thirty patients had definite IE at the end of the follow-up, 3 had possible IE, and in 12 patients the diagnosis was rejected. Twenty-seven patients (60%) exhibited abnormal FDG uptake around the cardiac valves, and 12 (27%) had extracardiac accumulation. In 5 patients the initial negative TEE became positive a mean 5 ±7 days after PET/CT had been performed The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of PET/CT were as follows (95% confidence interval): 87% (68% to 95%), 67% (38% to 87%), 84% (65% to 94%), and 71% (42% to 92%), respectively. Adding abnormal FDG uptake as a new major criterion significantly increased the sensitivity of the modified Duke criteria at admission (68% [53% to 82%] vs. 96% [88% to 99%], p = 0.01). This result was due to a significant reduction (p < 0.001) in the number of possible IE cases. In conclusion PET/CT increases the diagnostic accuracy for IE in the subset of patients with possible IE and may help to manage a challenging situation.

Two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (2D TEE) may fail to detect signs of infective endocarditis (IE) or to delineate complex anatomic lesions due to suboptimal visualization of the infected area. Three-dimensional (3D) TEE may have additional value; however, data are scarce. In 124 consecutive patients (85 M; Mean age 63 ± 14 years) with definite IE involving the aortic (36), mitral (35), tricuspid (5), ≤ 1 valve (6), and prosthetic valves (30),or pace-maker/ICD leads (12) the comparative analysis between 2D and 3D imaging focused on: 1) Presence and maximal dimension of vegetations; 2) Prediction of embolic events; 3) Location and dimension of valve perforation; 3) Prediction of successful mitral valve repair; 4) Identification and morphologic assessment of perivalvular complications.3D TEE detected more vegetations per patient (1.9 ± 2.1 vs 1.7± 1.6; p= 0.06), but this difference was significant only for vegetations on prosthetic valves and PM/ICD leads (2.2 ± 1.7 vs 1.1 ± 1.5; p=0.03). TomTec Software was used to crop the 3D volume to obtain the largest value for vegetations and perforation area. The 3D TEE maximal vegetation dimension was larger with a mean difference of 2.9 mm (95% CI, 1.9-4.52 mm) vs 2DTEE. The best cut-off value for prediction of embolic events was ≥18 mm with 3D TEE and ≥14 mm with 2D TEE. The positive predictive value for 3D TEE was not statistically higher (58% vs 52%). Valve perforation was identified in 10/19 patients with 2D TEE and in 18/19 patients with 3D TEE (p< 0.007) with subsequent surgical confirmation. Successful mitral valve repair was associated with a distance of the perforation > 3 mm from the leaflet tip and from commisures. This information was provided only by 3D TEE. Finally, 2D TEE missed 2/20 peri-annular extensions. After addition of 3D TEE all peri-annular extensions (20/20) were detected, without adding false positives.In 5 patients contrast 3D TEE provided visualization of the full extent of the defect and its precise anatomical location, prior to successful surgical resection. In conclusion 3D TEE is a feasible technique for the analysis of vegetation size and complex cardiac lesions caused by IE that may overcome the limitations of 2D TEE, providing incremental information useful for surgery

A 76-year-old male with previous aortic valve replacement presented with intermittent fever. No apparent source of infection was found at clinical inspection. Blood cultures were positive for Streptococcus anginosus . Infective endocarditis was suspected and transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) was performed. The exam showed a mildly degenerated bioprosthesis with thickened leaflets; there was an increased gradient (mean gradient 22 mmHg); neither valvular nor perivalvular regurgitation was identified. These findings were suspect for …

Background: In the last decades the clinical and epidemiological profile of infective endocarditis (IE) has considerably changed. The aim of this study is to assess the temporal variations of IE and to identify factors related to in-hospital mortality in a large cohort of patients observed over a 26

In 2010, in Veneto Region, Italy, surveillance of summer fevers was conducted to promptly identify autochthonous cases of West Nile fever and increase detection of imported dengue and chikungunya in travelers. Surveillance highlighted the need to modify case definitions, train physicians, and when a case is identified, implement vector control measures.

We report four imported cases of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis (PDH) due to Histoplasma capsulatum variety capsulatum in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-infected patients from West Africa. This report highlights the need to consider diagnosis of PDH among patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who originate from West Africa and present with a prolonged febrile illness and very low CD4 count.

Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the conditions associated with poor outcome among patients with infective endocarditis (IE). Yet, diabetes mellitus alone has rarely been analyzed as participating in the prognosis, and few data are available relating to the clinical characteristics of IE in diabetics. The study aim was to assess the influence of diabetes mellitus on the characteristics and prognosis of IE, and to identify predictors of poor outcome among diabetic patients with this condition.The study included consecutive patients with IE who had presented to a tertiary center between 1990 and 2006. All patients underwent transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Three or more blood cultures were collected from each patient. Records of all patients were collected prospectively into a computerized database.Among 309 patients with definitive IE (according to modified Duke criteria), 38 (12%) had diabetes mellitus. Typically, diabetic patients were older than non-diabetics (67.1 +/- 10.4 versus 60.7 +/- 15.8 years; p0.001), had more serious comorbidities (Charlson index 2.8 +/- 0.7 versus 1.2 +/- 0.5; p = 0.005), and a higher frequency of enterococcal endocarditis. No differences were noted between patients with or without diabetes mellitus for the valve involved, nor for the subvalvular involvement. In a multivariate analysis, diabetes mellitus was identified as an independent predictor of mortality (OR 2.49; 95% CI 1.15-5.62). Surgery was performed in the active phase in 139 patients: surgical mortality was higher for diabetic patients (29% versus 10% p = 0.049). In-hospital mortality was significantly higher among diabetic patients (34%) than in non-diabetics (20%) (p = 0.002). Enterococcal endocarditis, left ventricular ejection fraction0.45, multi-organ failure, heart failure, persistent fever after one week of antibiotic therapy, and a Charlson index3 were associated with an increased mortality among diabetic patients.Diabetes mellitus represents a relevant risk factor for a worse clinical course and outcome of IE.

Lemierre’s syndrome is an uncommon seen and often forgotten complication of acute oropharyngitis. It affects previously healthy adolescents and young adults. Central to the pathogenesis of this disease is the internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis. Septic metastases occur and frequently affect the lungs. We report a case of classic Lemierre’s syndrome due to Streptococcus Constellatus.