Bacterial Infections and Mycoses Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of Disinfection Protocols In Osteopathic Family Medicine Offices, Riley Phyu, Harrison A Patrizio, Thomas Boyle, Todd Schachter

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

CONTEXT: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose a substantial public health threat. Despite significant strides to curb HAIs in hospital environments, outpatient settings have not received the same degree of attention. Given their emphasis on holistic, patient-centered care, osteopathic family medicine offices are pivotal in both disease prevention and comprehensive patient treatment. The importance of simple yet effective disinfection protocols, such as thorough cleaning between patient appointments, cannot be overstated in these settings because they are integral to minimizing disease transmission.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the current disinfection protocols in osteopathic family medicine offices.

METHODS: A cross-sectional …

Posttreatment Lyme Disease Syndrome And Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review And Comparison Of Pathogenesis, Natalie Bai, Christie Richardson

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States and has been causing significant morbidity since its discovery in 1977. It is well-documented that about 10% of patients properly treated with antibiotics never fully recover, but instead go on to develop a chronic illness dubbed, posttreatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) characterized by severe fatigue, cognitive slowing, chronic pain, and sleep difficulties. This review includes 18 studies that detail the symptoms of patients with PTLDS and uses qualitative analysis to compare them to myalgic encephalitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a strikingly similar syndrome. In the majority of the PTLDS …

An Adult With A Remnant Urachus Anomaly Diagnosed In The Emergency Department., Alan Lucerna, James Lee, James Espinosa, Risha Hertz, Victor Scali

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

The urachus is a midline tubular structure that stretches from the apex of the bladder and connects to the umbilicus. Urachal remnants result from incomplete regression of the fetal urachus in infancy. We report the case of a 21-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with purulent drainage from his umbilicus in association with a chronic intermittent "pulling sensation" in the umbilicus and suprapubic areas. An infected urachal remnant was diagnosed and was treated with an oral antibiotic and ultimately with outpatient excision of the remnant. Such cases are rare but have the potential to progress to sepsis. In …