Tonya Crook

Improving Outcomes in Patients With Sepsis

Sepsis mortality may be improved by early recognition and appropriate treatment based on evidence-based guidelines. An intervention was developed that focused on earlier identification of sepsis, early antimicrobial administration, and an educational program that was disseminated throughout all hospital units and services. There were 1331 patients with sepsis during the intervention period and 1401 patients with sepsis during the control period. After controlling for expected mortality, patients in the intervention period had 30% lower odds of dying (odds ratio = 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.57 to 0.84). They also had 1.07 fewer days on average in the intensive care unit (95% CI = −1.98 to −0.16), 2.15 fewer hospital days (95% CI = −3.45 to −0.86), and incurred on average

The intricate relationship of histoplasmosis and sarcoidosis: a case report

1949 less in hospital costs, although the effect on costs was not statistically significant. Continued incremental improvement and sustainment is anticipated through organizational oversight, continued education, and initiation of an automated electronic sepsis alert function.

Pyoderma gangrenosum near a cystostomy catheter

IntroductionHistoplasmosis is an endemic mycosis with most cases of clinical illness reported in North and Central America. Rarely, patients develop progressive disseminated histoplasmosis with extrapulmonary manifestations. These infections are fatal if not appropriately treated.Case presentationWe report a case of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis presenting with fever, progressive dyspnea, and pancytopenia in a 51-year-old Caucasian man who had been treated with chronic steroids for a diagnosis of sarcoidosis made 20 years previously. His presentation was initially mistaken for sarcoidosis but, fortunately, laboratory results showed hematologic abnormalities, and the diagnosis of histoplasmosis was made by bone marrow biopsy.ConclusionsSarcoidosis reduces T cell activity, and the addition of steroids for treatment causes further immunosuppression and vulnerability for development of a disseminated infection. The diagnosis of histoplasmosis depends mainly on clinical presentation and host factors. Although there are diagnostic laboratory tests available, clinicians may need to diagnose histoplasmosis by history and physical examination alone and treat empirically, since awaiting Histoplasma-specific laboratory results would delay initiation of treatment. Primary care providers, hospitalists, and subspecialists alike should be aware of the overlap in clinical and radiological presentations of sarcoidosis and histoplasmosis, and when and how to pursue diagnostic testing for endemic mycoses, since these infections can be fatal in immunosuppressed patients without appropriate treatment.

644Rising Incidence of Syphilis Among Rural HIV+ Men Despite Systematic, Point of Care Prevention Counseling

A 78-year-old man with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and neurogenic bladder with an indwelling suprapubic cystostomy presented with a small, painful lump surrounding his catheter site. The throbbing, lancinating pain started after a routine outpatient catheter exchange at his urologist’s office. He reported that the pustule spread in a centrifugal fashion, and degenerated into an ulcer. He was prescribed cephalexin for presumed cellulitis by his primary care doctor. In the ensuing 72 h, the lesion continued to expand and was accompanied with increased pain despite taking antibiotics. He reported subjective fevers and night sweats, and subsequently presented to an outside hospital, where he was hospitalized for 5 days to receive intravenous antibiotics for presumed failure of oral therapy. He received vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam empirically. His blood cultures were negative for bacteria and fungi, and because of a mild improvement in symptoms, he was discharged home with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid to complete a 10-day course. His wound did not improve. He re-presented 5 days after discharge with worsening, uncontrolled pain and a continuously sprawling ulcer. Vital signs upon presentation showed a temperature of 38.4 C, heart rate of 121 beats/min, blood pressure of 144/81 mmHg, and respiration rate of 18 breaths/min. Abdominal examination revealed normal bowel sounds throughout, no tenderness to palpation away from the ulcer site, non-tender splenomegaly, and no rebound tenderness or guarding. Skin examination on the lower abdomen demonstrated a 30 9 10 cm ulcer with gunmetal gray, undermined borders (Fig. 1). He had exquisite tenderness to light touch over the ulcer. Laboratory studies showed a complete blood count consistent with a known pancytopenia from chemotherapy received 4 months previously, noting that his white blood cell count of 3270/lL (ANC 2808/lL), hemoglobin 8.8 g/dL, and platelet count of 100,000/lL were relatively unchanged. A peripheral blood smear was consistent with chemotherapy-induced pancytopenia. Urinalysis, liver function, and coagulation studies were within normal range. Urine and serum antigen studies for Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis were negative. Repeat blood cultures were negative for fungal elements and bacteria. Abdominal computed tomography scan showed superficial abdominal wall stranding, but no signs of abscess. A biopsy of the ulcer edge showed a diffuse dermal infiltrate composed of mature neutrophils. Gram stains and special stains for microorganisms (Periodic Acid Schiff, Gomori Methenamine Silver, and Acid-Fast Bacilli) were negative for any bacteria and subsequent tissue culture yielded no growth. The biopsy site also was exquisitely painful and started to spread. His painful lesion progressed despite treatment with vancomycin and meropenem for 5 days and his pain was inadequately controlled despite multiple analgesics. Given his failure to improve with broad spectrum antibiotics, the onset of his illness was revisited. He stressed that the wound worsened immediately after his & Michael Arthur Santos msantos1@pennstatehealth.psu.edu

Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis and Bacteremia due to Leuconostoc Species in a Patient with End-Stage Liver Disease: A Case Report

644. Rising Incidence of Syphilis Among Rural HIV+ Men Despite Systematic, Point of Care Prevention Counseling Poonam Mathur, MD; John Zurlo, MD; Patsi Albright, CRNP, PhD; Tonya Crook, MD; Cynthia Whitener, MD; Ping Du, MD, PhD; Medicine, Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA; Medicine/Infectious Diseases, Pennsylvania State University, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA; Medicine/Public Health Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA