Background: There is some observational evidence for the benefit of having an infectious diseases (ID) physician provide consultative support in the care of patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB). A recent randomized trial was unable to document a similar benefit, although the control group received a concurrent stewardship intervention. We wanted to determine the effect [...]

Background: The incidence of tickborne disease has recently increased in the United States, as longer summers and milder winters have led to a surge in tick populations (1). The impact has been most marked in New England, where temperatures are rising faster than the global average, particularly in winter (2). Babesiosis is a tickborne illness [...]

Background: Murine typhus, a flea-borne rickettsial disease traditionally found in warm, humid climates, is increasingly reported in non-endemic regions due to factors such as climate change and urbanization. Characterized by nonspecific symptoms including fever, headache, rash, and elevated liver enzymes, murine typhus often mimics common febrile illnesses such as influenza, viral exanthems, or sepsis. Delays [...]

Case Presentation: A 58-year-old man with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (A1c 9.1%), recurrent ear infections presented to hospital with left ear pain, facial weakness, and sudden vision loss. The patient had frontal and left-temporal headaches for several months thought to be secondary to migraines or temporal arteritis. A temporal biopsy had been [...]

Case Presentation: A 75-year-old man with a past history of diverticulitis was admitted five days prior for a small bowel obstruction (SBO). At the time of admission, he had a sore throat and nasal congestion, and a respiratory pathogen panel was positive for RSV. On admission, a nasogastric tube (NG) was placed for decompression with [...]

Case Presentation: A 66-year-old male with a history of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) on rituximab, paraplegia, knee arthroplasty with prior prosthetic joint infections, and chronic urinary catheter complicated by frequent UTI’s with prior growth of Pseudomonas, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), E. coli, and Proteus, presented with fever and purulent urine. He was insensate below the umbilicus [...]

Case Presentation: 52-year-old female with a past medical history of cervical cancer, hypothyroidism, scleritis, episcleritis, glaucoma and Raynaud’s disease presented to the hospital for progressive onset blurry vision. The patient stated that roughly 2 months ago she had pneumonia and as it was starting to clear up she began to notice a “foggy” visual field. [...]

Case Presentation: A 38-year-old woman with a history of discoid lupus presented with a week of progressive fever, chills, pustular rash, and polyarthritis. The pustular lesions started periorally but then spread to the palms, soles, and torso. Her joint pain was predominantly in her ankles, knees, wrists, and shoulders. Aside from minor scratches from pet [...]

Case Presentation: A 25-year-old Wolof-speaking male who recently arrived from Senegal with remote history of malaria (unclear treatment, no hospitalization) presented to the hospital with a three-day history of dull global headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, watery diarrhea, and hematuria. Upon arrival, he was noted to be diaphoretic, dehydrated, tachycardic, and hypoglycemic. Labs were significant for [...]

Case Presentation: A 36-year-old male with no significant medical history presented with one week of nocturnal fevers, rigors, cough associated with night sweats and 5 kg weight loss over one month. He immigrated from Guatemala 18 months ago, briefly lived in Arizona and Texas, and has worked as a landscaper locally for the past year. [...]