Common Illnesses Research Articles

Cardiac Manifestations of Lyme Disease.

Lyme disease (LD) is an inflammatory disorder caused by an infectious bacterial agent and is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States and Europe. About 1.5-10% of adults infected with LD develop cardiac complications. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and diagnosis of Lyme carditis (LC), as well as the different manifestations of LD in the cardiovascular system. This review will primarily highlight the effect of LD on the cardiac conduction system and also discuss its effect on the myocardium, pericardium, valves, and coronary arteries. The management and prognosis of LC will be reviewed here as well. While this is a comprehensive review of the current literature on LC, there remain many questions regarding the complex relationship between LD and the heart.

33 Use of CHU Ste. Justine online resources prior to visiting the Emergency Department for less-urgent, acute febrile illness

Abstract Background Over the past 20 years, visits to paediatric emergency departments (EDs) across Canada have steadily increased, with a higher proportion of presentations for lower acuity symptoms. Many paediatric institutions’ websites now provide information and recommendations for caregivers on common illnesses and reasons for seeing healthcare providers or going to the ED. Increasing the use of internet resources may improve health literacy and hopefully decrease ED use for lower acuity presentations like uncomplicated viral illness. Objectives The objective of this study was to assess whether caregivers presenting with children with lower acuity at triage were aware of and using the online resources provided by our paediatric institution to help with at-home management of febrile illnesses and to guide their decision to present to the ED. Design/Methods This was a cross-sectional study in a tertiary care university-affiliated paediatric ED in an urban setting. Participants were a convenience sample of caregivers of children 6 months to 17 years old with a fever 72 hours or less and triaged low acuity (Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale levels 3 to 5). Caregivers of children with underlying significant systemic illness were excluded. Consenting participants completed two questionnaires. The first questionnaire included demographic data, information on baseline internet utilisation, use of general online health information and our institutions’ website specifically, and whether use of those resources influenced their decision to present to the ED. After browsing dedicated web materials developed by our institution (“Before going to the emergency room” and “Fever”), questionnaire 2 asked for feedback on the website. Results From April to July 2023, 100 caregivers participated in the study (response rates questionnaires 1 and 2: 80% and 70%, respectively) (Table 1). Half (49%) of caregivers researched their child’s symptoms prior to coming to the ED (Table 2). Approximately one third (39%) of respondents were aware that our institution provided online information for caregivers about common symptoms and when to present to the ED. Half (51%) of caregivers who completed questionnaire 2 said they would not have come to the ED if they had read these resources prior (Table 3). Many (66%) respondents reported they would be “likely/very likely” to look up their child’s symptoms on the institutional website before going to the ED in the future. Conclusion Half of caregivers presenting to the ED for their child’s lower-acuity febrile illness conducted research on their child’s symptoms prior to visiting the ED and most were influenced in their decision to come to ED by what they found. Most caregivers were not aware that our institution had online resources available. Promotion of the institutional resources available to parents may empower parents to manage common symptoms at home and prevent ED visits for lower-acuity illness.

The role of physical activity, diet, and stress management in maternal and infant health during pregnancy

Introduction and aim of the study: During pregnancy, significant physiological, hormonal and circulatory changes occur that affect both the health of the mother and the child. Therefore, it is important for the mother to maintain physical activity, a healthy diet, and reduce stress to prevent complications and health problems for the mother and the child. Material and Methods: The Pubmed database was searched. The criteria for qualifying the article for the review were the following keywords: pregnancy, exercise, rehabilitation, nutrition during pregnancy, postpartum depression, atopy, stress, asthma. 30 articles from 2002-2023 were analyzed. Description of the state of knowledge: Regular physical activity during pregnancy brings many benefits such as reducing the risk of complications during childbirth, postpartum depression and helps to maintain a healthy body weight. Diet also has an impact on the health of both mother and baby. It should be balanced, providing the necessary nutrients and taking into account the mother's caloric needs. It is very important to reduce stress due to its negative impact on the mother and child. Summary: Physical activity and a healthy diet directly affect the course of pregnancy and the health of the fetus and baby. Exercise prevents pregnancy complications and other diseases, and maternal nutritional status is critical for fetal growth. During pregnancy, women are exposed to stress, which can be the cause of chronic mental disorders. Depression is the most common mental illness that occurs during pregnancy, which is influenced by various factors. In addition, maternal stress has a negative impact on the child's health, potentially increasing the risk of a number of atopic and non-atopic diseases.

Travel-associated illness in children in pre-pandemic Western Sydney, 2018-2020.

Observational cohort study. In the 18 months immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2020), we prospectively collected demographic, travel and clinical data from children with travel-acquired illness or injury identified by active surveillance of CHW Emergency Department attendees and referrals to the infectious diseases service. We identified 587 returned child travellers with an illness or injury associated with overseas travel. Most were aged younger than 5 (62.8%) and had travelled within the Asia-Pacific region (84.6%). The main reason for travel, where recorded (50.3%), was visiting friends and relatives (VFR)(65.4%). Most travellers (90.1%) had a common childhood infection, illness or injury coincidentally acquired during travel, including respiratory infection (37.5%), acute diarrhoea (15.7%) and nonspecific febrile illness (13.1%). Exotic/nonendemic infections were uncommon (9.9%, including potential rabies exposure) but were associated with much higher admission rates than 'cosmopolitan' (globally distributed) diseases (74.2% vs 21.9%). Most of these occurred in VFR travellers (86.3%); enteric fever, largely acquired in South Asia, predominated (51.7%). One in five admitted patients had a disease for which specific pretravel vaccination is available. Receipt of pretravel vaccines was infrequently recorded. Returned child travellers in Western Sydney frequently presented with respiratory infections and may be a key population for surveillance of imported respiratory viruses. The burden of exotic disease was small and borne by VFR travellers. Travel-related illness in Western Sydney could be reduced by health education of travellers and targeted pretravel vaccination, especially typhoid vaccination for VFR travellers to South Asia. Universal, systematic screening of emergency department attendees for recent overseas travel would improve surveillance of travel-related illness.

Anxiety, Depression and Resilience among University Staff in Herat, Afghanistan – 2021

AbstractAnxiety and depression are the two most common mental illnesses in the world. Multiple risk factors contributein developing anxiety and depression; the latter leading to suicide. The aim of this study is to identify theprevalence and associated factors of anxiety and depression, and assess their association with the level ofresilience among academic and non-academic staff of Herat University. This cross-sectional study wasconducted between November 1st and December 28th 2021. Sociodemographic data was collected using astructured questionnaire. Data on depression and anxiety was collected using the validated Dari version ofDASS-42 questionnaire. Data on resilience was obtained using the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale(CD-RICS-10). Statistical analyses were performed in IBM SPSS Statistics (version 27). A total of 210university staff including 154 (73.3%) male and 56 (26.7%) female, with a mean age of 37.67 ± 9.62 years wereincluded in the study. Of All participant in this study, 58.6% and 54.8% had anxiety and depression,respectively. There was a significant association between resilience with depression and anxiety. A significantassociation was found between depression, anxiety and resilience with economic status, general healthcondition, concern about food shortage, losing house, and losing job. While no significant association was foundbetween depression, anxiety and resilience with gender, marital status, and losing family member in childhood.The prevalence of mental illnesses is considerably high among Herat University staff. The leadership of HeratUniversity and public health authorities should implement strategies to tackle this important public healthchallenge.

Temporal trends in the prevalence of GP registrars’ long-term paediatric asthma control medications prescription

Asthma is one of the most common chronic illnesses affecting children. Long-term asthma control medications (LTACMs) are an important aspect of asthma management, with under-prescription associated with poor asthma control and increased asthma deaths. This study aimed to document temporal trends in the prescribing of LTACMs for paediatric patients for asthma-related presentations to Australian general practice registrars (trainees). Longitudinal analyses of data from 2010 to 2022 from the Registrars Clinical Encounters in Training study were undertaken. Proportions of paediatric presentations where LTACMs were prescribed were calculated, and temporal trends analysed and graphed. There was no change over time in registrar prescribing of LTACMs for paediatric asthma, although temporal changes were seen in the types of LTACMs prescribed. The lack of temporal increase in overall LTACMs prescription, despite evidence showing their importance in preventing asthma morbidity and mortality, has significant educational, clinical, and policy implications.

Invisible Victims and the Case for OTC SSRIs.

Major depressive disorder is one of the most common serious illnesses worldwide; the disease is also among those with the lowest rates of treatment. Barriers to access to care, both practical and psychological, contribute significantly to these low treatment rates. Among such barriers are regulations in many nations that require a physician's prescription for most pharmacological treatments including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These rules are designed to protect patients. However, such regulations involve a tradeoff between the welfare of "visible" victims, who might suffer negative consequences from a lack of regulation, and the well-being of invisible "victims," who likely experience negative consequences that result from increased barriers to care. This article explores these tradeoffs and argues in favor of shifting SSRIs from prescription-only to over-the-counter status.

A Review of the Pathogenesis of IgA Vasculitis Nephritis in Children

: In children, IgA Vasculitis (IgAV), formerly known as Henoch-Schönlein purpura, is a common kidney illness primarily caused by anaphylactoid purpura. It is highly prevalent among youngsters, often presenting with symptoms such as skin purpura, abdominal pain, and hematuria. In some cases, IgA vasculitis nephritis (IgAVN) may progress to chronic kidney disease (CKD), exacerbating renal function impairment and negatively impacting patient prognosis. To effectively develop preventive and therapeutic strategies for pediatric IgAVN, a comprehensive understanding of its pathogenesis is crucial. This review discusses the involvement of key biological markers, including galactose-deficient IgA1, C-reactive protein, and inflammatory cytokines, in the disease's pathophysiology. Additionally, it provides an overview of the specific diagnostic markers and clinical management strategies pertinent to this condition.

The Potential Role of Polyphenol Supplementation in Preventing and Managing Depression: A Review of Current Research

Depression is a common mental illness that affects 5% of the adult population globally. The most common symptoms of depression are low mood, lack of pleasure from different activities, poor concentration, and reduced energy levels for an extended period, and it affects the emotions, behaviors, and overall well-being of an individual. The complex pathophysiology of depression presents challenges for current therapeutic options involving a biopsychosocial treatment plan. These treatments may have a delayed onset, low remission and response rates, and undesirable side effects. Researchers in nutrition and food science are increasingly addressing depression, which is a significant public health concern due to the association of depression with the increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases and premature mortality. Polyphenols present in our diet may significantly impact the prevention and treatment of depression. The primary mechanisms include reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, regulating monoamine neurotransmitter levels, and modulating the microbiota–gut–brain axis and hyperactivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding the effects of dietary polyphenols on depression and explores the underlying mechanisms of these effects for the benefit of human health. It also highlights studies that are looking at clinical trials to help future researchers incorporate these substances into functional diets, nutritional supplements, or adjunctive therapy to prevent and treat depression.

Scabies in 604 Patients: A Glimpse into the Disease Burden and Its Associated Mortality in Hong Kong.

Scabies is a worldwide parasitic dermatosis with a significant health burden on the young and the elderly. Statistics about the prevalence of scabies in Hong Kong are not available. This is a retrospective study of patients from a regional hospital cluster in Hong Kong with microscopy-documented Sarcoptes scabiei infestations from January 2018 to December 2022. The condition was categorised into classical scabies and crusted scabies upon clinical presentation. Demographic data, comorbid diseases, mobility and residential status, seasonal variability, secondary bacterial infection, treatment and outcomes were described. These were compared between classic and crusted scabies. In total, 604 patients were identified, representing 51.65 per 100,000 discharged patients during the study period. The median age was 84 years and 54.5% were male. The majority (506 or 83.8%) came from residential care homes for the elderly. The mean time from admission to diagnosis was 8.8 days for community-acquired infestation. There were 564 and 40 cases of classic and crusted scabies, respectively. The two groups of patients were comparable in terms of residence in elderly homes, co-existing chronic illnesses, mobility, and time from admission to diagnosis. Forty-five (7.5%) patients had positive blood cultures temporally associated with scabies. Patients with crusted scabies were at higher risk for bacteraemia (7/40 versus 38/564, p = 0.022). Permethrin and benzyl benzoate were the most popular treatment regimens, with treatment failure observed in 59/397 (14.4%) and 18/173 (10.4%), respectively. There were 172 (28.5%) mortalities within 30 days of scabies diagnosis. Thus, the burden of scabies infestation is significant in Hong Kong. Hospitalised patients diagnosed with scabies are mainly senior citizens living in residential care homes for the elderly, suggesting reservoirs of S. scabiei in the community. Of concern, bacteraemic illnesses are common and significant mortality is temporarily associated with infestation. With a rising elderly population, there is a pressing need to understand and control scabies in Hong Kong. Our study did not find that common medical illness, besides immunosuppressive therapy, predisposed patients to crusted scabies. The crusted form of scabies was associated with a higher risk of bacteraemia. The current study provides a better perspective of the disease load of scabies in Hong Kong.

Prevalence of Antidepressant Prescription in Adolescents Newly Diagnosed with Depression in Germany.

Depression is the most common mental illness in the world, found in nearly three in ten adolescents globally. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of antidepressant prescriptions and the types of antidepressant therapy administered among adolescents diagnosed with depression in Germany. This retrospective cohort study, based on data provided by 30 child and adolescent psychiatrists, included adolescents aged 13-17 years with an initial diagnosis of depression between 2010 and 2022 (index date) documented in the IQVIATM Disease Analyzer database. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to investigate the one-year cumulative incidence of antidepressant prescriptions stratified by age, sex, and depression severity. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to assess the association between age, sex, depression severity, co-diagnoses, and antidepressant drug prescription. A total of 6338 adolescents (mean age: 16 years, 67% female, 59% with moderate depression) were available. The cumulative incidence of antidepressant prescriptions was 61% and increased with age from 13 years old to 17 years old. Fluoxetine was the most prescribed drug, followed by Sertraline, Escitalopram, Serotonin and Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, herbal medications, and Mirtazapine. Obsessive-compulsive disorder and eating disorders were found to be significantly associated with antidepressant prescriptions within the spectrum of co-diagnosed conditions. Higher age, depression severity, and a co-diagnosis of an obsessive-compulsive disorder or eating disorder were significantly positively associated with antidepressant prescriptions in adolescents. Fluoxetine was the most frequently prescribed drug for depression.

Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum and bilateral subcutaneous emphysema; a rare case presentation in Asthmatic patient

The presence of free air or gas in the mediastinal structures and the pericardial sac without a clear precipitating cause is known as spontaneous medialstinal emphysema (pneumomediastinum) and pneumopericardium. Young, healthy persons without a major underlying lung condition are less likely to experience it. Here we presented a 15 years old female known asthmatic patient presented with sudden onset of shortness of breath, dry cough and swelling over the neck down to the abdomen. This patient was managed with asthmatic medication and oxygen conservatively and discharged from the hospital with significant improvement. Spontaneous pneumomediatinum should be taken into consideration after excluding out common illnesses when a youngster complains of chest pain or tightness. Clinical characteristics and a chest CT scan can be used to diagnose SPM. Most patients with spontaneous pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema had mild to moderate sequel and responded well to conservative therapy

Real-time monitoring of urban roadway health: Utilizing GPR techniques for the early detection and classification of subsurface cavity diseases

The effectiveness of ground penetrating radar (GPR) in identifying and categorizing diseases that occur underground beneath the surfaces of urban roads is investigated in this study. Both 2D and 3D forward modeling use simulation with the GprMax program to show the response characteristics of common cavity illnesses, which facilitates interpretation in practical situations. The cavity morphology classification accuracy is improved to 90.5% by using convolutional neural networks (CNNs), specifically transfer learning with AlexNet. This method outperforms existing approaches even with minimal data. Four primary types are identified from an analysis of 1965 subsurface cavity data: hollow bodies, empty bodies, loose bodies, and water-rich bodies. These categories are important for evaluating road risks such as voids and subsidence. However, it is still difficult to interpret picture features linked to cavity diseases accurately because of a variety of elements, such as anthropogenic, environmental, and geological influences. However, the accurate interpretation and recognition of image features related to cavity diseases remain challenging. Moreover, there are various factors involved in the formation of underground diseases and cavities, including geological and environmental factors, physical and chemical properties of the geotechnical materials, anthropogenic engineering activity and social population or commercial effects.

Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of acute viral gastroenteritis in 350 paediatric patients hospitalised between 2019 and 2022 in the Military Institute of Medicine – National Research Institute in Warsaw, Poland: a single-centre retrospective analysis

Introduction and objective: Acute gastroenteritis, a common childhood illness worldwide, manifests with symptoms including fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea. It is highly contagious, with transmission occurring through contaminated water, food, or poor hygiene. Globally, 1.7 billion cases of diarrhoeal diseases are diagnosed annually, causing approximately 525,000 deaths among children under the age of five. Dehydration caused by diarrhoea is a primary cause of hospitalisation, particularly in developing countries. Aim: Analysis of the aetiology, frequency, and seasonal distribution of viral pathogens responsible for acute gastroenteritis in children hospitalised between 2019 and 2022 at the Military Institute of Medicine – National Research Institute in Warsaw, Poland. Materials and methods: Medical records of patients aged 0 to 18 diagnosed with rotavirus, norovirus, and adenovirus-induced acute gastroenteritis were analysed. The pathogens had been identified with reliable immunochromatographic tests. Exclusion criteria encompassed bacterial infections, dietary errors, and inflammatory conditions. Data examined included age, gender, aetiology of gastroenteritis, seasonality, duration of hospitalisation, and clinical symptoms (diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, and dehydration). Laboratory results such as white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, electrolyte levels, and organ function markers were also evaluated. Results: Data from 350 children hospitalised between 2019 and 2022 were analysed. The highest number of hospitalisations occurred in 2019 and 2022, with fewer cases in 2020–2021, likely reflecting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most patients were between 6 and 12 months old. Rotavirus infection commonly presented with fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, and dehydration. Adenovirus and mixed infections were associated with slightly higher C-reactive protein levels, while rotavirus infections showed mildly elevated aspartate aminotransferase levels. Haematocrit, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and electrolyte levels were similar across all cases. Conclusions: Our analysis showed that rotavirus was the most frequent cause of acute viral diarrhoea in children, followed by norovirus and adenovirus, with mixed infections being the least common. The peak incidence occurred in autumn and winter, except in 2021, reflecting changes in the dynamics of infections related to the coronavirus pandemic. Biochemical findings were not sufficiently characteristic to infer the aetiology of the disease.

Time-Resolved Multiomics Illustrates Host and Gut Microbe Interactions during Salmonella Infection.

Salmonella infection, also known as Salmonellosis, is one of the most common food-borne illnesses. Salmonella infection can trigger host defensive functions, including an inflammatory response. The provoked-host inflammatory response has a significant impact on the bacterial population in the gut. In addition, Salmonella competes with other gut microorganisms for survival and growth within the host. Compositional and functional alterations in gut bacteria occur because of the host immunological response and competition between Salmonella and the gut microbiome. Host variation and the inherent complexity of the gut microbial community make understanding commensal and pathogen interactions particularly difficult during a Salmonella infection. Here, we present metabolomics and lipidomics analyses along with the 16S rRNA sequence analysis, revealing a comprehensive view of the metabolic interactions between the host and gut microbiota during Salmonella infection in a CBA/J mouse model. We found that different metabolic pathways were altered over the four investigated time points of Salmonella infection (days -2, +2, +6, and +13). Furthermore, metatranscriptomics analysis integrated with metabolomics and lipidomics analysis facilitated an understanding of the heterogeneous response of mice, depending on the degree of dysbiosis.

Identification of multimodal brain imaging biomarkers in first-episode drugs-naive major depressive disorder through a multi-site large-scale MRI consortium data

BackgroundMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe and common mental illness. The first-episode drugs-naive MDD (FEDN-MDD) patients, who have not undergone medication intervention, contribute to understanding the biological basis of MDD. Multimodal Magnetic Resonance Imaging can provide a comprehensive understanding of brain functional and structural abnormalities in MDD. However, most MDD studies use single-modal, small-scale MRI data. And several multimodal studies of MDD are limited to simple linear combinations of functional and structural features. MethodsWe screened a large sample of FEDN-MDD patients and healthy controlsmultimodal MRI data. Extracting the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) feature from functional magnetic resonance imaging and the gray matter volume (GMV) feature from structural magnetic resonance imaging. The mCCA-jICA method was used to integrate these two modal features to investigate the functional-structural co-variation abnormalities in MDD. To validate the stability of the extracted functional-structural covariant abnormalities features, we apply them to identify FEDN-MDD patients. ResultsThe results show that compared to healthy controls, FEDN-MDD patients exhibit joint group-discriminative independent component and modality-specific group-discriminative independent component, suggesting functional-structural covariant abnormalities in MDD patients. Using lightGBM classifier, we achieve a classification accuracy of 99.84 %. LimitationWe use GMV and fALFF for multimodal fusion shows promise, but requires further validation with other datasets and exploration of additional multimodal features. ConclusionsThis may indicate that multimodal fusion features can effectively explore information between different modalities and can accurately identify FEDN-MDD patients, suggesting their potential as multimodal brain imaging biomarkers for MDD.

7045 A Rare Case of Lyme-Associated Thyroiditis in an Otherwise Healthy Patient

Abstract Disclosure: M. Windham: None. S.K. Majumdar: None. Introduction: Lyme disease, a common tick-borne illness, causes multiorgan inflammation and dysfunction. It commonly affects the musculoskeletal, neurologic, cardiovascular, and integumentary systems. The endocrine system is rarely involved. We report a case of Lyme-associated thyroiditis in an otherwise healthy 41-year-old man. Case: A 41-year-old man with a history of hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux and a known BRCA2 mutation presented to the emergency department due to one week of frequent palpitations, fatigue, dyspnea on exertion, and dry cough. Laboratory testing revealed thyrotoxicosis with an undetectable TSH (n 0.270—4.200 µIU/mL), FT4 of 7.04 ng/dL (n 0.80—1.70 ng/dL), and TT3 of 253 ng/dL (n 92.0—224 ng/dL). He denied any recent illnesses or pain in his thyroid. Further work up revealed negative TSI and TPO but did show an elevated high sensitivity CRP of 4.3 mg/L (n <1.0 mg/L) and a sedimentation rate of 33 mm/hr (n 0—20 mm/hr). A thyroid uptake and scan showed markedly decreased uptake suggestive of thyroiditis. The patient was started on a prednisone taper with improvement in his TFTs. At his follow up visit approximately one month later, he reported increasing stiffness in his bilateral jaw and continuing palpitations with movement despite near normalization in his FT4 and TT3, suggestive of possible underlying cardiac conduction defects. He did not recall a tick bite but lived in an area with endemic Lyme disease. Lyme antibodies were sent and returned with a positive Lyme IgG and an indeterminate Lyme IgM, which would be consistent with an active Lyme disease infection at the time of his initial presentation. Treatment for Lyme disease was prescribed. Conclusion: Between 1991 and 2021, the incidence of Lyme disease in the United States doubled due to the combined effects of climate change, increasing host species populations, and human encroachment on animal habitats. People who live in areas with endemic Lyme disease, such as the Northeast and upper Midwest regions of the United States, are at risk even if they do not recall a specific exposure. Although Lyme thyroiditis is extremely rare, its incidence is expected to increase as the overall incidence of Lyme disease increases. Therefore, it is important to consider Lyme disease in the differential when a patient from an endemic area presents with unexplained thyroiditis. Presentation: 6/2/2024

Under-Reporting of Human Leptospirosis Cases in Cities of Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by the pathogenic Leptospira species through direct or indirect contact with infected animals. Due to protean clinical manifestation in the early stages, leptospirosis is often difficult to distinguish from other common acute febrile illnesses, such as dengue. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of leptospirosis in suspected dengue patients whose serological diagnosis was negative. A total of 449 serum samples from patients (negative IgM-ELISA dengue) with fever, headache, myalgia, and nausea were tested. The Dual-Path Platform (DPP) rapid test developed by the Instituto de Tecnologia em Imunobiológicos Bio-Manguinhos in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was used for screening IgM antibodies against Leptospira in blood serum, and the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) was performed on samples positive in the DPP for leptospirosis, as well as on an equal number of negative samples. Results: The data obtained from the samples analyzed with the DPP assay showed 26 positive results (5.79%), of which 38.46% were male and 61.54% female, with a mean age of 41 years. We tested 52 samples using the MAT, including 26 reactive for IgM and 26 non-reactive in the DPP assay. Nine samples (17.31%) were reactive, and among them, six also showed reactivity in the DPP assay. Of the six samples reactive in both tests, 66.67% were female, living in urban areas in the city of Uberlândia, with a mean age of 50 years, being 50% white, 33.33% brown, and 16.67% black. The findings demonstrated that leptospirosis cases are underdiagnosed and undertreated in the study population and more attention needs to be paid for ruling out leptospirosis and other pathogens causing acute febrile illness in dengue-endemic areas.

Ocular Manifestations of Pediatric Rhinosinusitis: A Comprehensive Review.

Background: Rhinosinusitis is a common childhood illness that may result in a number of ocular problems. The goal of this thorough analysis is to compile the available data regarding the kinds, prevalence, and treatment of ocular problems related to juvenile rhinosinusitis. Methods: A comprehensive analysis of electronic databases, such as PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, was carried out to pinpoint pertinent research articles written in English and published between the beginning and August of 2023. Included were studies that discuss ocular problems in young children suffering from rhinosinusitis. Study characteristics, ocular complication kinds, occurrence rates, and management approaches were the main topics of data extraction. Results: A significant number of pertinent research on ocular problems related to juvenile rhinosinusitis was found through the literature search. Preliminary searches indicated that orbital cellulitis, subperiosteal abscess, cavernous sinus thrombosis, and optic neuritis are probably the most often reported ocular problems. It is expected that these problems will occur at a wide range of incidence rates, from somewhat unusual to more prevalent. Depending on the severity of the consequences, management techniques are expected to require a combination of surgical and medicinal procedures. Healthcare professionals will benefit from the findings since they will improve knowledge of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of these potentially blinding consequences. The evaluation also assists in identifying knowledge gaps and guides future directions for this field of study, both of which are critical to enhancing patient outcomes. Conclusions: The wide range of topics included in this study will help to better understand the burden of ocular consequences related to juvenile rhinosinusitis and will make it easier to build preventative and treatment plans that work better.

Lindera aggregata improves intestinal function and alleviates depressive behaviors through the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway induced by CUMS in mice

Depression is a common mental illness, which is highly related to intestinal motor dysfunction and causes a global burden of disease. Lindera aggregata (LA), a traditional medicinal herb, has been used to treat gastrointestinal disorders; however, the effect of LA on depression remains unclear. Here, we assessed the impact of LA on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression in mice and explored the related mechanisms. The results showed that LA ameliorated depressive behaviors in mice exposed to CUMS, as evidenced by improved performance in the sucrose preference test, force swimming test, and open field test, as well as increased serum levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and 5-hydroxytryptamine. In addition, LA increased the serum levels of D-xylose and ghrelin, indicating that LA can promote gastrointestinal motility. Additional studies revealed that LA relieved CUMS-induced hippocampal tissue damage, as shown by hematoxylin and eosin and Nissl staining. LA increased the expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and promoted the activation of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) and cAMP response element-binding (CREB) in the hippocampus of CUMS-exposed mice or in corticosterone-injured HT22 cells. In conclusion, LA can improve CUMS-induced depressive behavior in mice, potentially through hippocampal neuroprotection mediated by the BDNF/TrkB/CREB signaling pathway, which also contributes to improved intestinal function.