Some enterprising microbiologists from the Singapore General Hospital have set up a Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/DiagnosticBacteriology?notif_t=fbpage_fan_invite So far, it seems to mainly highlight the posts from their blog. Hopefully, there will be more independent content soon.
An elderly woman (in her 60’s) who was on thrice-weekly hemodialysis for chronic renal failure presented to her family physician with a painful rash on her abdomen. This was vesicular in nature, extending across the left T10 dermatome, and was diagnosed as herpes zoster. She was prescribed oral acyclovir (reduced dose owing to renal failure) […]
A middle-aged man who had renal transplantation 5 years ago (but otherwise well) presented with fever and shortness of breath for 2 weeks. He was found to have a right pleural effusion on chest X-ray, and underwent a diagnostic pleural tap. The TB PCR was positive from the pleural fluid, and he was started on standard […]
I was directed by the SGH microbiology blog‘s chief blogger to the Straits Times report yesterday detailing the National Environment Agency (NEA)’s tender for studying the effects of using Wolbachia-carrying male mosquitoes to combat dengue in Singapore. But what is Wolbachia? It is a fascinating genus of bacteria that exists solely as a parasitic (or in some cases mutualistic) […]
This is written as a closure (for now) for the previous influenza articles (here and here), which reported on the influenza A(H3N2) epidemic in the U.S.A and the similar high proportion of influenza A(H3N2) among the Singapore influenza isolates that were typed. Various indicators suggest that the epidemic in the U.S.A. is coming to an […]
This rather interesting paper was brought to my notice earlier, but I could only read it today. Published in PLoS ONE this month by Australian authors using European data, Dr. Peter Collignon and his colleagues showed that the “quality of governance” (measured on a scale of 0-6 based on subjective assessment by experts on each country’s […]
A middle-aged man in his late 50’s presented with fever for 3 days associated with poor appetite and epigastric discomfort. He had been prescribed augmentin by his general practitioner 2 days ago without relief of symptoms. His only premorbid conditions were hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and there was no travel or contact history of significance. Physical […]
Interpretation of syphilis serological results is one of the more common reasons for referrals to infectious disease physicians in Singapore. Back in the restructured hospitals, syphilis serology was usually performed as part of a panel for patients with altered mental status, or occasionally for those with cerebrovascular accidents or peripheral neuropathy (because neurosyphilis may present with such features). […]
Letters, pictures and other outpouring of support and well wishes for the founding father of Singapore at the Singapore General Hospital, where he passed away early this morning. He had lived a full life, and had touched the lives of the people of a nation and beyond, mostly for the better.
A middle-aged housewife with a history of chronic eczema and penicillin allergy (“rash and eye swelling”) presented with 2 days of fever, chills and lethargy. The initial clinical examination was unremarkable except for ongoing eczema and fever. The initial laboratory tests were remarkable only for mild thrombocytopaenia (114) and neutrophilia. However, she had chest pain […]
MIPHIDIC 