Yoshihiro Fujiya

Autochthonous dengue fever, Tokyo, Japan, 2014.

After 70 years with no confirmed autochthonous cases of dengue fever in Japan, 19 cases were reported during August–September 2014. Dengue virus serotype 1 was detected in 18 patients. Phylogenetic analysis of the envelope protein genome sequence from 3 patients revealed 100% identity with the strain from the first patient (2014) in Japan.

Zika fever imported from Thailand to Japan, and diagnosed by PCR in the urines.

In July 2014, a Japanese traveller returning from Thailand was investigated for fever, headache, rash and conjunctivitis. Zika virus RNA was detected in his urine sample by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Serological tests showed cross reactivity of IgM against the dengue virus. Zika fever could be misdiagnosed or missed and should be considered in febrile patients with a rash, especially those returning from Thailand.

Comparison of clinical characteristics and laboratory findings of malaria, dengue, and enteric fever in returning travelers: 8-year experience at a referral center in Tokyo, Japan

BACKGROUND Without specific symptoms, diagnosis of febrile illness in returning travelers is challenging. Dengue, malaria, and enteric fever are common causes of fever in returning travelers and timely and appropriate treatment is important. However, differentiation is difficult without specific diagnostic tests. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted at the National Centre for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) from April 2005 to March 2013. Febrile travelers returning from overseas who were diagnosed with dengue, malaria, or enteric fever were included in this study. Clinical characteristics and laboratory findings were compared for each diagnosis. RESULTS During the study period, 86 malaria, 85 dengue, and 31 enteric fever cases were identified. The mean age of the study cohort was 33.1 ± 12 years and 134 (66.3%) study participants were male. Asia was the most common area visited by returning travelers with fevers (89% of dengue, 18.6% of malaria, and 100% of enteric fever cases), followed by Africa (1.2% of dengue and 70.9% of malaria cases). Clinical characteristics and laboratory findings were significantly different among each group with each diagnosis. Decision tree models revealed that returning from Africa and CRP levels <10 mg/L were factors specific for diagnosis of malaria and dengue fever, respectively. CONCLUSION Clinical manifestations, simple laboratory test results, and regions of travel are helpful to distinguish between dengue, malaria, and enteric fever in febrile returning travelers with non-specific symptoms.

Multidrug-resistant Acinetobactor baumannii isolated from a traveler returned from Brunei

We report a case of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobactor baumannii isolates obtained from a traveler returned from Brunei. Whole-genome sequencing analysis revealed that the isolates harbored blaOxA-23 and armA. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics against the strain were as follows: imipenem, 32 μg/ml; meropenem, 32 μg/ml; ciprofloxacin, 16 μg/ml; amikacin, ≧ 1024 μg/ml; arbekacin, ≧ 1024 μg/ml; aztreonam, 64 μg/ml; colistin, 4 μg/ml. A. baumannii harboring both blaOxA-23 and armA is rarely reported in Japan, and, to the best of our knowledge, this is the second report of A. baumannii harboring both resistant genes in Japan.

Epidemiology of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli in Japan: Characteristics of community-associated versus healthcare-associated ESBL E. coli

Data on community-associated extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (CA-ESBLEC) infections in Japan are scarce. We compared the clinical and microbiological epidemiology of CA-ESBLEC infections with that of healthcare-associated-ESBLEC infections among 76 patients with ESBLEC infections. We identified a high prevalence (26%) of CA-ESBLEC infections in Japan; only a small proportion (15%) of patients with CA-ESBLEC infections had recent exposure to antibiotics.

Two Cases of Granulomatous Mastitis Caused by Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii Infection in Nulliparous Young Women with Hyperprolactinemia.

Recently, an association between granulomatous mastitis and local infection with Corynebacterium (C.) kroppenstedtii has been suggested. We herein report two cases of granulomatous mastitis resulting from C. kroppenstedtii infection in nulliparous young women with hyperprolactinemia. Both cases involved nulliparous patients with drug-induced hyperprolactinemia, and both individuals received incision and drainage, after which the pus was sent to our laboratory. Corynebacterium spp. grew on blood agar, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified the pathogen as C. kroppenstedtii. In conclusion, lactational changes caused by drug-induced hyperprolactinemia may increase the risk of granulomatous mastitis after C. kroppenstedtii infection.

The Usefulness of Serum C-Reactive Protein and Total Bilirubin Levels for Distinguishing Between Dengue Fever and Malaria in Returned Travelers

The clinical manifestations of dengue fever (DF) and malaria are similar. Specific diagnostic tests are not always available. A retrospective study to compare the laboratory results of malaria and DF was conducted at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Japan from January of 2005 to March of 2013. Febrile returned travelers from overseas diagnosed with malaria or DF were included; 86 malaria and 85 DF cases were identified. C-reactive protein (CRP) and total bilirubin (T-bil) had high area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (> 0.9). A cutoff value of CRP > 2.4 mg/dL to predict malaria as opposed to DF had a sensitivity of 91.9% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 83.9-96.7%) and specificity of 90.6% (95% CI = 82.3-95.8%). A cutoff value of T-bil > 0.9 mg/dL to predict malaria as opposed to DF had a sensitivity of 73.8% (95% CI = 62.7-83%) and a specificity of 95.1% (95% CI = 88-98.6%). CRP and T-bil are useful to distinguish between DF and malaria in returned travelers.

Travel-related leptospirosis in Japan: a report on a series of five imported cases diagnosed at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine.

Leptospirosis is one of the most common travel-related infections. We report 5 cases of travel-related leptospirosis who presented at our clinic between January 2008 and December 2013. Patients were included in the study if they presented with a clinical profile that was compatible with the disease within 21 days of their return from traveling, which were laboratory-diagnosed as leptospirosis by blood culture, rise in antibody titers in paired sera using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), and/or DNA detection using flaB-nested PCR. Five leptospirosis cases were evaluated, all of which contracted the disease after exposure to fresh water in Southeast Asian countries. All of the cases had fevers, headaches, conjunctival injections, and relative bradycardia. The pertinent laboratory findings included elevated C-reactive protein levels, elevated creatinine levels, and sterile pyuria. All 5 cases had serum MAT titers that increased by ≥ 4 times in the interval between specimens taken during the acute phase and those taken during the convalescence phase, and leptospiral DNA was detected in plasma and/or urine specimens in 4 cases. Leptospira interrogans was isolated from one patients blood sample. Patients were treated with penicillin G, minocycline, or doxycycline. One case was cured without antibiotics. A diagnosis of leptospirosis should be considered for febrile travelers who return from Southeast Asian countries to Japan after being exposed to freshwater while traveling.

Successful treatment of recurrent Helicobacter fennelliae bacteraemia by selective digestive decontamination with kanamycin in a lung cancer patient receiving chemotherapy

Introduction: Helicobacter fennelliae is an enterohepatic Helicobacter species causing bacteraemia in immunocompromised hosts. Only a few cases of recurrent H. fennelliae bacteraemia have been reported in Japan and there are no guidelines regarding antimicrobial treatment for H. fennelliae infection. Case presentation: H. fennelliae bacteraemia was observed in a patient receiving platinum-based chemotherapy for lung cancer. To prevent recurrence, the patient received antibiotic therapy with cefepime, amoxicillin and doxycycline for 6 weeks, which is similar to the therapy for Helicobacter cinaedi bacteraemia. Bacteraemia recurred despite the long-term antibiotic therapy. We hypothesized that the H. fennelliae bacteraemia originated from endogenous infection in the intestinal tract due to the long-term damage of the enteric mucosa by platinum-based drugs and performed selective digestive decontamination (SDD) with kanamycin. Bacteraemia did not recur after SDD. Conclusion: Our observations indicate that clinicians should be aware of possible recurrent H. fennelliae bacteraemia, which could be effectively prevented by SDD with kanamycin.

Imported Flood-Related Leptospirosis From Palau: Awareness of Risk Factors Leads to Early Treatment

We describe two Japanese travelers with leptospirosis who visited Palau. Both travelers swam in Ngardmau Falls, which was flooded for two days after typhoon Phanfone. The diagnoses were confirmed by microscopic agglutination test or polymerase chain reaction. This is the first report of leptospirosis in travelers who returned from Palau. It should be noted that choosing the appropriate test to biologically confirm leptospirosis was highly time-dependent. Awareness of the risk factors for leptospirosis, mainly that of the exposure to contaminated fresh water after a flooding, would lead to an early and appropriate treatment before the confirmed diagnosis.