HIV clinical presentation in the acute stage is variable and some of its virological and immunological aspects are not completely understood. Most cases of HIV- associated reactive hemophagocytic syndrome have been reported in patients with advanced stages of HIV and to our knowledge, there are only 8 cases in the English literature presenting during acute HIV infection, most in East Asia, being this the first case in a European patient. We report a case of a European Caucasian 27- year old woman with a primary HIV- infection presenting with extremely low CD4+ T cell count who developed a haemophagocytic syndrome after starting ART and in whom we documented a very unusual serological and virological response, characterized by an impaired HIV- antibody production and a 12 month time frame to reach an undetectable viral load, despite no evidence of resistance. This case report apart from describing an unusual clinical presentation of an acute HIV infection as hemophagocytic syndrome provides useful information that might contribute for understanding some subtle issues in acute HIV infection, namely the dynamics of virological and immunological aspects after antiretroviral therapy initiation.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) primary infection usually presents with classic symptoms of infectious mononucleosis (IM) like fever, lymphadenopathies and tonsillopharyngitis. Liver damage is frequently mild and self-limited and there are only a few cases of severe EBV-induced cholestatic hepatitis and jaundice reported in the literature. The authors present the case of a 22-year-old woman who was admitted with acute fever and jaundice. Physical examination revealed posterior cervical lymphadenopathies and painful hepatosplenomegaly. Laboratorial findings suggested an obstructive cause for jaundice but ultrasound and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography excluded biliary duct pathology. Heterophile antibodies were negative but EBV-specific antibodies revealed isolated positive viral capsid antigen (VCA) immunoglobin (Ig) M suggesting the diagnosis of early phase of EBV primary infection. The diagnosis of EBV-induced cholestatic hepatitis was confirmed after identification of EBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in blood and by liver biopsy. Supportive management was provided and, despite an initial clinical deterioration, the patient had a favorable outcome. EBV is a virus with a high prevalence worldwide, mainly subclinical, and jaundice is a rare manifestation of the infection. Although the majority of the patients recover without sequelae, progression to liver failure has been described and a careful assessment for complications is mandatory. Therefore, EBV infection should be included in the comprehensive differential diagnosis of jaundice in all age groups.

Background: KPC-producing K pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) is a public health problem with important clinical and epidemiological implications. We describe an outbreak of KPC-Kp at vascular surgery and neurosurgery wards in a central hospital in Porto, Portugal. Methods: A case of KPC-Kp was considered to be a patient positive for KPC-Kp with strong epidemiological plausibility of having acquired this microorganism in the affected wards and/or with genetic relationship ≥92% between KPC-Kp isolates. Active surveillance cultures (ASCs) and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used for the detection of carbapenemase genes through rectal swab in a selected population. Molecular analysis was performed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis at the National Reference Laboratory. Patient risk factors were collected from the electronic medical record system. Information regarding outbreak containment strategy was collected from the Infection Control Unit records. Results: Of the 16 cases, 11 (69%) were identified through active screening, representing 1.4% of the total 766 ASCs collected. The most frequent risk factors identified were previous admission (63%), antibiotic exposure in the past 6 months (50%), and immunodepression (44%). The length of stay until KPC-Kp detection was high (0–121 days, mean 35.6), as was the total length of stay (5–173 days, mean 56.6). Three patients (19%) were infected by KPC-Kp, 2 of whom died. One previously colonized patient died later because of KPC-Kp infection. Conclusions: Multifactorial strategy based on contact precautions (with patient and healthcare professional cohorts) and ASC, as well as Antibiotic Stewardship Program reinforcement, allowed to contain this KPC-Kp outbreak.

Chronic Coxiella burnetii endocarditis usually develops in people with underlying heart disease and accounts for 60-70% of chronic Q fever. Onset is generally insidious and manifestations are atypical. The authors report a case of Coxiella burnetii prosthetic valve endocarditis in a 53 years- old patient with recurrent mechanical valve dehiscence on mitral position. He lived in a rural area with sheep and goats on the surroundings. During a 9 year- period, he was submitted to three cardiac mitral valve surgeries two of which with no Q fever diagnosis suspicion. Diagnosis was based on a positive serology test (Indirect imunofluorescence). Treatment consisted in a combination of prolonged course of hydroxychloroquine plus doxycycline and surgical replacement of the mitral valve, with a favorable outcome. With this case report, the authors pretend to highlight the not always expected diagnosis of Q fever endocarditis. If not considered, Coxiella burnetii endocarditis may lead to multiple cardiac surgeries, greater morbidity and potentially death.

Leishmania infantum, a zoonotic vector-born parasite, is endemic in the Mediterranean region, presenting mostly as visceral (VL), but also as cutaneous (CL) and mucosal leishmaniasis (ML). This study aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical aspects of the CL and ML cases diagnosed in mainland Portugal between 2010 and 2020. Collaboration was requested from every hospital of the Portuguese National Health System. Cases were screened through a search of diagnostic discharge codes or positive laboratory results for Leishmania infection. Simultaneously, a comprehensive literature search was performed. Descriptive statistics and hypothesis testing were performed using IBM^® SPSS^® Statistics. A total of 43 CL and 7 ML cases were identified, with a predominance of autochthonous cases (86%). In CL, immunosuppressed individuals constituted a significant proportion of patients (48%), and in this group, disseminated CL (22%) and simultaneous VL (54%) were common. In autochthonous cases, lesions, mostly papules/nodules (62%), were frequently observed on the head (48%). The approach to treatment was very heterogeneous. ML cases were all autochthonous, were diagnosed primarily in older immunosuppressed individuals, and were generally treated with liposomal amphotericin B. The findings suggest a need for enhanced surveillance and reporting, clinical awareness, and diagnostic capacity of these forms of leishmaniasis to mitigate underdiagnosis and improve patient outcomes. A holistic One Health approach is advocated to address the multifaceted challenges posed by leishmaniases in Portugal and beyond.