Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Acute Aseptic Meningoencephalitis Due To Covid-19 In An Otherwise Healthy Patient: A Case Report, Shyama Appareddy, Norma Moncayo, Ronkino T. Mccoy, Jared Sperling, George Huddleston, Raza L. Kahn

Research Colloquium

Several studies have shown the extrapulmonary manifestations of COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus. Although extrapulmonary manifestation to the heart, kidney, blood, and skin are common, neurological and cerebrovascular manifestations are rare with most of these cases being described in patients who also have the pulmonary manifestation of the disease. Here we present the case of an 18 year-old male with no prior history of respiratory symptoms who presented to the emergency department with altered mental status. Neurology was consulted and the patient was started empirical on ceftriaxone, vancomycin, dexamethasone, and acyclovir for meningoencephalitis. Urine drug screen, head CT, …

Aids-Associated Kaposi's Sarcoma Complicated With Covid-19, Adriana Saavedra-Simmons, Veronica Salazar

Research Colloquium

Introduction: Several studies have not found a significant increase in risk of poor outcomes in people with HIV (PWH) who are coinfected with COVID-19. However, the majority of PWH in the studies were stable with their highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen. We present a case of AIDS-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) with superimposed COVID-19 infection.

Case Description: Our patient is a 21-year old Hispanic male with recent diagnosis of HIV-1 who presented to the ED with generalized facial swelling and right lower extremity edema associated with shortness of breath (SOB) and palpitations. He denied fever, chills, weight loss, chest pain, …

A Covid-19-Inspired Comprehensive Approach To Resident Wellness And 360-Degree Approach To Pandemic Preparedness And Disinfection Practices, Preet Gudimella, Unnam Nasir, Heidi Pareja

Research Colloquium

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak that had led to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused stress for medical residents on the frontline. This motivated our team to implement changes in our residency program’s inpatient service. We approached resident wellness in a comprehensive manner. The changes we implemented at our site had crucial benefits for our inpatient teams. Not only did we implement conventional best practices on infection prevention, we also executed additional safety measures, addressed mental and physical health, and had COVID-19-specific skills training. Consequently, our residents were less stressed, better prepared, and more focused …

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children (Mis-C): Is There A Relationship To Typhus?, Juliana Hager, Juliana Hager, Jacob Smith

Research Colloquium

The United Kingdom first reported in April 2020 a group of eight previously healthy children with a link to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) that presented with systemic inflammation and multi-organ involvement, now named multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have reported over 1000 cases since the primary discovery as of October 2020 with 20 total deaths. [1] The clinical features of MIS-C have been previously compared to inflammatory syndromes including Kawasaki disease (KD) and toxic shock syndrome (TSS). We describe the clinical presentation and management for 3 pediatric cases with …

Ut Health Rgv Covid-19 Testing Report, Jefferson T. R. Chandler, Beatriz Tapia

Research Colloquium

Purpose: This health surveillance project's goal was to organize de-identified data received from UT Health RGV with the intent to provide timely reporting to testing sites and health affairs directors. We aimed to explore how testing rates differ between counties, testing sites and age groups from March 30 through August 7, 2020. We looked at different demographics and compared the positivity rates for each testing site. For this report, we will detail information for the pediatric population (ages 0-18).

Materials and Methods: A codebook and database were created with information about COVID-19 test data to formulate reports to the testing …

Supportive Care Team Challenges On The Border In The Pandemic, Meghana Rao, Andrew N. Dentino

Research Colloquium

Background: Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) is a subspecialty of medicine, recognized in 2008 by the ABMS, with over 200 fellowship programs nationally. This Supportive Care Team (SCT) interprofessional paradigm of MD’s, NP’s, PA’s, MSW’s, Pharm.D.’s, chaplains, RN’s and therapists holistically cares for persons with advanced life-limiting illnesses.

UTRGV SOM and DHR Health, in extreme south Texas on the border with Mexico, inaugurated the HPM fellowship in 2019. Its current fellow began in 2021.

The intent of the fellowship was for care and services to flow uninterruptedly throughout the RGV. However, in early 2020 the world changed indelibly due to …

Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections: Patient Characteristics, Treatment, And Clinical Outcomes In One South Texas Acute Care Hospital, Kimberly A. Ambrosini, Jose Campo Maldonado

Research Colloquium

Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs) account for 40 percent of nosocomial infections worldwide. Their elimination is at the forefront of quality improvement in one South Texas acute care hospital.

Methods: Over a period of 6 months, five CA-UTIs occurred in one South Texas acute care hospital. These cases were identified via regular surveillance by Infection Prevention staff and the Laboratory Department of the hospital. This research reviews patient age, sex, length of stay, bacteria contracted, appropriate antibiotic use, patient characteristics, and overall outcomes.

Results: Between the months of July and December 2021, 5 CAUTIs were contracted. Patients ranged in …

E-Cigarette Or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury (Evali) In A Hispanic Male During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Juan C. Naranjo, Muhammad Jamal, Aramide Tijani, Fatimah Bello

Research Colloquium

Background: Electronic cigarette or vaping product use–associated lung injury established the relationship between vaping products and lung injury. Overlapping clinical manifestations may mimic those of other respiratory conditions including COVID-19. Multiple radiographic findings including diffuse, bilateral, ground-glass infiltrates with lower-lobe predominance, eosinophilic pneumonia, and diffuse alveolar damage have been described. It is important to consider this as an alternative diagnosis, particularly in patients with respiratory symptoms and a history of vaping in the last 90 days due to increased risk of COVID-19 infection and worse outcomes.

Case presentation: A 25-year-old male with a history of polysubstance abuse and frequent E-cigarette …

A Simple Case Of Viral Myopericarditis Or A Complication Of Monoclonal Antibody Infusion?, Jose A. Rivera, Michael Menowsky

Research Colloquium

Background: Myocarditis has been a rare, but well-documented side effect of the mRNA-based vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 as well as a complication of viral infections including SARS-CoV-2. However, myopericarditis as a complication of monoclonal antibody infusion or as complication of allergic reaction to antibody infusions might be and underreported.

Case presentation: In this case, we report a 30-year-old man with a previous diagnosis of COVID infection 1 week prior to presentation, unvaccinated for SARS-CoV-2 who was referred from a monoclonal infusion center where he received casirivimab and imdevimab and 15 minutes after infusion began to complain of chills, chest pain, shortness …

Impact Of Academic Golden Weekend Initiative On Academic Success For An Internal Medicine Clerkship, Elif S. Duran, Maria A. Alvarenga, Stephanie Onyechi, Jose E. Campo Maldonado

Research Colloquium

Background: COVID-19 precautions led to a change in the number of protected weekends for the UTRGV Internal Medicine Clerkship, going from 2 protected weekends to none. The aim of Academic Golden Weekends during a fully inpatient clerkship has been to maximize the student experience by providing enough time to balance all the necessary components of the student experience. Starting April 26, 2021, all cohorts completing their Internal Medicine Clerkship as third-year medical students had 3 protected weekends.

Methods: Two surveys were created to compare the pre-intervention and post-intervention cohorts. The surveys focused on student satisfaction regarding the time they had …