A middle-aged woman presented with fever and lethargy, and was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) after thorough work-up. She underwent standard induction chemotherapy (IA 3+7) and received fluconazole prophylaxis in view of cost concerns. She developed neutropenic fever 3 days after completion of chemotherapy, and was prescribed IV imipenem after an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella […]
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.
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). […]
It is well known that patients with haematological disorders are at high risk for developing infections caused by different fungi. Part of this is due to the inherent immune system defects that develop as a consequence of their haematological disorders, but the greater part of the risk can be attributed to the treatment that they receive […]
The Society of Infectious Diseases (Singapore) has organised an annual infectious diseases clinical practice update for ID trainees and GPs/family medicine trainees for years. These practice updates are invariably organised by the trainees themselves, who have the liberty therefore to set the topics and invite the local consultants they would like to listen to. Somehow, I […]
The second day of the conference was well attended and went well. It started with an early opening ceremony, graced by the President of the National University of Singapore Prof. Tan Chor Chuan, as well as Mdm. Kay Kuok, who is the chair of the Board of Trustees of the Courage Fund (the main sponsor […]
The inaugural Courage Fund ID Conference kicked off yesterday evening with a series of plenary lectures at the Marina Mandarin Hotel in Singapore. This clinical and basic science infectious diseases conference is a first for Singapore in many ways: It was organised in partnership by the Singapore Infectious Diseases Initiative, the Institute for Infectious Diseases […]
A middle-aged woman underwent chemotherapy after being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). She was re-admitted 4 days post-completion of #1A and #1B hyperCVAD with septic shock requiring dopamine support. Her absolute neutrophil count (ANC) was 0.02 and her initial chest X-ray was normal. She was treated with intravenous (IV) imipenem as per protocol, and blood cultures grew Pseudomonas […]
The idea for this post arose from discussions and tutorials with local ID trainees, all (at least those I have contact with) of whom routinely send patients with community-acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteraemia for eye screening by an ophthalmologist to “exclude endophthalmitis”, and some who apply the same practice even to patients with hospital-acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteraemia. Endogenous endophthalmitis occurs as a result […]
An elderly man was knocked down by a taxi while riding on his bicycle. He developed a right subarachnoid hemorrhage and became progressively drowsy, requiring emergent evacuation of the clot and insertion of an external ventricular drain (EVD). He got progressively better in the hospital, and the EVD was removed 12 days later. At that time, […]
MIPHIDIC 