1.Vasculitis associated with COVID-19 reinfection in a fully vaccinated 66-year-old Filipino male: A case report.
Bernadette Bergonio Iglesia ; Jacqueline D. Melendres
Journal of the Philippine Medical Association 2023;101(2):49-54
COVID-19-associated vasculitis is a term used
to describe a genuine vasculitis associated with SARS-
COV-2 infection when all other possible causes of
vasculitis have been ruled-out. We report a case of a 66-
year-old-male, reinfected by COVID-19 after 5 months,
who presented with a 2-week history of multiple
petechiae on bilateral anterior legs that gradually
evolved into targetoid purpura with central blisters,
spreading to the proximal medial thighs and the trunk,
associated with pruritus and a warm sensation over the
affected areas. The patient also presented with marked
periorbital swelling, abdominal and joint pains, and
decreased kidney function. Histopathology of the skin
biopsy showed leukocytoclastic vasculitis while direct
immunofluorescence study came out positive result for
fibrinogen but negative for IgA, IgG, IgM and C3. Skin
lesions resolved and kidney function improved prior to
discharge after treatment with IV antibiotics
(azithromycin 500 mg and ceftazidime 1 g) and IV
steroids (hydrocortisone 50 mg). Recurrence of the
vasculitic skin lesions occurred 2 weeks after being
tagged as COVID-recovered but improved after 14 days
of treatment with oral prednisone. We highlight the
importance of recognizing cutaneous vasculitis as a
possible marker of a severe COVID-19 disease which
could be in the form of single-organ damage particularly
acute kidney injury.
case report
2.Should sanitation tents be used for prevention of COVID-19 transmission?
Carol Stephanie C. Tan-Lim ; Jacqueline Michelle D. Melendres
Acta Medica Philippina 2020;54(Rapid Reviews on COVID19):62-65
Key Findings
There is currently no evidence to support the use of sanitation tents in the prevention of COVID-19 transmission.
• Sanitation tents or disinfection tents have been installed in various areas of the Philippines as a measure to decontaminate individuals and prevent COVID-19 transmission.
• The commonly used disinfectant in these tents is diluted household bleach. Others propose to use alcohol or diluted povidone iodine to decontaminate individuals in the tent.
• Bleach is an irritant to mucous membranes and loses its antimicrobial effect over time or when exposed to heat and sunlight.
• Alcohol is flammable and also causes irritation to mucous membranes.
• Povidone iodine may cause skin irritation, chemical pneumonitis when inhaled, and acute kidney injury when systemically absorbed.
• There are no completed or ongoing studies on the use of sanitation tents for the prevention of COVID-19 transmission.
• To date, there are no guidelines that recommend the use of sanitation tents for prevention of COVID-19 transmission.
• The World Health Organization explicitly recommends against spraying alcohol or chlorine all over a person's body due to adverse health effects and the lack of inhibitory activity against viruses that have already entered the body.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that most environmental protection agency-registered household disinfectants are effective against COVID-19. However, these products are approved for use only on surfaces and not on humans.
• The Department of Health guidelines recommend the avoidance of spraying or misting for COVID-19 due to lack of evidence of its efficacy.
Coronavirus
;
Covid-19
3.A rare case of disseminated Histoplasmosis mimicking Varicella in a 28-year-old immunocompetent female.
Sheehan Mae A. Tolentino ; Jacqueline Michelle D. Melendres ; Francisco Rivera IV ; Maicka Kiersten O. Agon ; Miyahra Haniko Lopez
Journal of the Philippine Medical Association 2023;101(2):33-38
Histoplasmosis is well-characterized as a fungal
disease that more commonly occurs in North America,
mostly endemic in Ohio and Mississippi river valleys.
The clinical spectrum of histoplasmosis ranges from
asymptomatic infection to a fatal disease. Progressive
disseminated histoplasmosis is typically seen in
immunocompromised individuals and presents with
non-specific systemic symptoms associated with
cutaneous manifestations of papules and nodules.? We
report a case of a 28-year old Filipino female with a
history of exposure to soil activities months before
consult. The patient presented with a 3-week history of
erythematous macules, vesicles, and pustules over the
face, arms, and trunk, which evolve into papules and
plaques with hemorrhagic crusting. Patient was initially
diagnosed and treated as a case of varicella but had no
improvement with initial management. Histopathologic
findings were consistent with histoplasmosis. The
patient was started with oral itraconazole, but
unexpectedly expired before any improvement in
cutaneous symptoms were noted.
Disseminated histoplasmosis
;
Itraconazole