Organisms Commons^™

Clostridium Perfringens Sepsis From A Hepatic Abscess With Hemolysis And Renal Failure, Requiring Hemodialysis, Joel Collins Ii, Katelyn Courtney, James A. Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The prognosis of sepsis caused by Clostridium perfringens is extremely poor, with a mortality rate of 70%-100%. Management includes antibiotic regimens specific to toxin production as well as source control via surgical or interventional mechanisms. We report a case of a 64-year-old male who presented with right upper quadrant (RUQ) abdominal pain and was diagnosed with Clostridium perfringens bacteremia with associated acalculous cholecystitis, hepatic abscess, and acute renal failure requiring hemodialysis. It is felt that early hemodialysis was an associated factor in the patient's survival.

Gut Microbiota Changes After Cholecystectomy: Unraveling The Microbial Mysteries - A Systematic Review, Maftuna Kurbonnazarova, Arthi Rameshkumar, Olivia R. Siciliano, Samrat Gollapudi, Katarina Rusinak, Alissa Brotman O’Neill

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Aims: This review aims to expand upon previous research examining change in gastrointestinal microbiota before and after cholecystectomy.

Methods: A systematic review, combined with a pooled analysis, was conducted to assess gut microbiota dysbiosis post-cholecystectomy, utilizing 71 articles retrieved from 3 databases, with 13 undergoing full-text appraisal. The publication dates ranged from 2018 to 2023.

Results: Results suggested a greater degree of microbiota alteration in symptomatic post-cholecystectomy patients, characterized by a decrease in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, Bifidobacterium and Lactococcus, alongside increased levels of harmful microbiota such as Prevotella, Sutterella, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Blautia obeum, and Veillonella species. Interestingly, an increase in …

Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of Novel Drugs And Combinations Against Extensively- And Pan-Drug Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii Isolates, Keertana Jonnalagadda, Rachel Carr, Valerie Carabetta

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Acinetobacter baumannii, a Gram-negative, nosocomial, opportunistic pathogen is commonly infectious in immunocompromised patients. More specifically patients develop healthcare-associated infections (HAI) spanning beyond sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis, and urinary tract infections. Due to its rapid ability to acquire antibiotic resistance, it has raised the necessity to discern a novel therapeutic treatment that can be effectively used against the multidrug resistant (MDR) A. baumannii. Cooper University Hospital (CUH) faced an increased case load of patients that were infected with MDR A. baumannii. The patient isolates obtained from CUH were highly resistant to the 22 standard-of-care antibiotics. With the recent introduction …

Health Benefits Of Saccharomyces Boulardii As A Probiotic, Devashri Parikh, Maftuna Kurbonnazarova, Ravij Upadhyay, Andrea Iannuzzelli

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Saccharomyces boulardii (SB), a budding yeast, within the Saccharomyces genus. It commonly used as a probiotic that has been isolated from lychee and mangosteen fruit. S. boulardii is not known to acquire resistant genes and does not last in the intestine after 3-5 days of discontinuing the ingestion. The clinical efficacy of this probiotic yeast is known to improve various diarrhea such as pediatric diarrhea, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, acute diarrhea, and traveler’s diarrhea. Additionally, when used as an adjuvant to treatment for Helicobacter pylori and Clostridium difficile infections, it improves bacterial eradication, prevents relapse, reduces adverse reactions and treatment-associated diarrhea.

Several …

An Herbal Liver Effect: Ashwagandha-Induced Hepatotoxicity, Mohammad Rattu, Eric Maddock, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna, Neeharika Bhatnagar

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Ashwagandha is a popular Ayurvedic herb that is derived from the extracts of the roots of Withania somnifera, an evergreen shrub endemic to India and Southeast Asia. It is generally utilized as a tonic to increase one’s energy and reduce stress levels. Often referred to as “Indian ginseng”, it provides neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties that address stress, pain, and fatigue. Additionally, it may assist in dealing with rashes, diabetes, and arthritis. It has also been shown to counteract the effects of aging. Though these properties have not been shown in prospective studies, it has become a popular product among western …

Amphotercin Washout Of Fungal Peritonitis In Liver Transplant Recipient: A Novel Approach, Ann Thompson Do, Mara Piltin Do, Alyssa Imperatore Do, Ely Sebastian Md, Sandra Paluzzi Md

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Invasive fungal infection has a significant prevalence among organ transplant patients and is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Fungal infection is difficult to identify early and subsequently difficult to effectively treat. In this case presentation we have a 45 y/o orthotopic liver transplant recipient who was profoundly sick from fungal peritonitis and due to the appearance of her abdomen and intestines, with the help of infectious disease, decided to proceed with direct amphotercin washout of the abdomen in the operating room. The patient had complete resolution of her fungal peritonitis and is doing well.