A 79-year-old man with type II diabetes mellitus and recently diagnosed idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura presented to the Emergency Department with progressive dyspnea over the course of two weeks. He was found to have diffuse miliary nodules, dense cavitary consolidation, and widespread cystic changes on chest imaging and died within 48 hours of admission to the hospital. His serum Coccidioides antibody and urine Histoplasma antigen were both positive. He later grew Coccidioides immitis from the blood, supporting the theory that Histoplasma positivity was likely the result of antigen test cross-reactivity. Coccidioidomycosis typically presents with mild, self-limited symptoms, but may also disseminate rapidly, causing fulminant, life-threatening disease. Prompt recognition of risk factors for fulminant coccidioidomycosis and understanding flaws in serologic testing are essential to the appropriate diagnosis and management of this disease.

BACKGROUND: Miliary tuberculosis (TB) is a lethal hematogenous spread form of mycobacterium tuberculosis with approximately 15-20% mortality rate in children. The present report highlights the clinical manifestations of an unusual presentation of miliary tuberculosis in a 12-year-old girl.
METHODS: In this case, extensive lung involvement was presented despite the absence of respiratory symptoms. Also, some central hypo-intense with hyper-intense rim nodules were detected in the brain\'s pons, right cerebral peduncles and lentiform nucleus.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed that severe miliary TB may occur even in a person who received the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine.

Background: A miliary pattern on chest imaging is often attributed to tuberculosis (TB) infection. However, a myriad of conditions can cause a miliary pattern, many of which are imminently life-threatening. Research Question: The primary aim of our study is to elucidate the potential causes of miliary chest imaging patterns to improve workup and empiric therapy selection. The secondary aims are to discern the predictors of miliary disease etiology and to determine whether appropriate empiric antimicrobial therapies were given. Study Design and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we searched a radiology database for patients with chest imaging studies described by the word \"miliary\". Subjects were excluded if they were under 18 years of age and if there were insufficient objective data to support a miliary disease etiology. A radiologist independently reviewed all imaging studies, and studies that did not appear to have a true miliary pattern were excluded. The collected data include patient demographics, immunocompromising risk factors, conditions associated with miliary disease, β-D-glucan levels, serum eosinophil count, and empiric therapies received. Results: From our 41-patient cohort, 22 patients (53.7%) were clinically diagnosed with coccidioidomycosis, 8 (19.5%) with TB, 7 (17.1%) with metastatic solid cancer, 1 (2.4%) with lymphoma, 1 (2.4%) with other (Mycobacterium simiae), and 3 (7.3%) with unknown diseases (the sum equals 42 patients because one individual was diagnosed with both coccidioidomycosis and TB). All six patients with greater than 500 eosinophils/μL were diagnosed with coccidioidomycosis. Of the 22 patients diagnosed with coccidioidomycosis, 20 (90.91%) were empirically treated with an antifungal regimen. Of the eight patients with TB, six were empirically treated for TB. Interpretation: Based on our data from a Coccidioides-endemic region with close proximity to tuberculosis-endemic areas, the leading cause of miliary disease is coccidioidomycosis, although TB and cancer are also common etiologies. Serum eosinophilia and elevated β-D-glucan levels were strongly predictive of coccidioidomycosis in our patient cohort with a miliary chest imaging pattern.

UNASSIGNED: Tuberculosis (TB) is the primary infectious cause of mortality worldwide. Although TB incidence and prevalence are declining, the use of immunosuppressive drugs and the growing prevalence of immunocompromising conditions such as comorbidities, malignancies, and the use of immunosuppressive agents are risk factors for disseminated TB (DTB). This study aims to identify the relevant clinical, laboratory, radiological, and histopathological features of DTB, as well as to assess the typical anatomical distributions and treatment outcomes of patients diagnosed with the disease at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC).
UNASSIGNED: A retrospective chart review was conducted, including all patients diagnosed with miliary or DTB at KAMC with retrievable medical files.
UNASSIGNED: The study included 55 patients, of whom 35 (63.6%) were male and the median age was 64 years old. 35 (63.6%) of the infected patients were timely diagnosed and eventually cured from the illness. The most common comorbid conditions were diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and immunocompromising conditions, which were present in 37 (67.2%), 12 (21.8%), and 11 (20%) of the patients, respectively. The most common presenting symptoms were fever and cough, present in 31 (56.3%) and 26 (47.2%) of the patients, respectively, followed by weight loss in 25 (45.4%), night sweats in 15 (27.2%), and shortness of breath in 14 (25.4%). Approximately two-thirds of the patients had pulmonary miliary TB (MTB) (38; 69.1%), followed by TB lymphadenitis (21; 38.2%), central nervous system involvement (13; 23.6%), skeletal involvement (11; 20%), gastrointestinal involvement (5; 9.1%), pleural involvement (3; 5.5%), and urogenital TB (2; 3.6%). The mortality rate was 14 (25.5%) patients.
UNASSIGNED: MTB is challenging to diagnose due to nonspecific clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings. Clinicians dealing with patients who are at risk of developing DTB should be aware of the typical presentations and abnormal clinical findings. They should also have a low threshold to initiate specific investigations for the disease, as early diagnosis and effective treatment is critical in reducing morbidity and mortality rates.

A 76-year-old man was referred to our hospital with a cough. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed a 45-mm mass in the lingular segment of the left upper lobe. Transbronchial tumor biopsies showed adenocarcinoma. Contrast-enhanced CT and bone scintigraphy revealed lung, pleura, and bone metastases. The patient was diagnosed with left upper lobe adenocarcinoma cT2bN3M1c stage IVB. A genetic analysis of the primary tumor using the Oncomine Dx Target Test Multi-CDx system revealed positivity for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (L858R) and CTNNB1 mutations. Based on these findings, the patient was treated with osimertinib (80 mg/day) as first-line therapy. Six months later, the tumor increased in size, indicating progressive disease. Osimertinib was stopped and second-line therapy with carboplatin (area under the curve 5) and pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) was initiated. After three cycles of chemotherapy, the patient developed dementia and disorientation. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed miliary brain metastases. Miliary dissemination is a rare form of brain metastasis. Miliary patterns of lung metastases have been strongly associated with the EGFR exon 19 deletion. The radiological features of miliary brain metastases of non-small cell lung cancer with the exon 19 deletion have been reported. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of lung cancer with miliary brain metastases and co-mutations of EGFR (L858R) and CTNNB1. In conclusion, co-mutations of EGFR (L858R) and CTNNB1 and the discontinuation of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor may contribute to the development of miliary brain metastases. Further case studies are warranted.

BACKGROUND: Interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) is used to detect latent tuberculosis prior to biological treatments in the context of suspected inflammatory rheumatism.
METHODS: We report the case of a 50-year-old woman with negative IGRA test before adalimumab introduction for presumed axial spondyloarthritis.
RESULTS: The worsening of symptoms under treatment led to further investigations and the diagnostic of disseminated tuberculosis (TB) was later established with miliary and multiple bone locations such as spondylitis and sacroilitis. The patient\'s history revealed past exposure to tuberculosis. This observation illustrates the limitations of IGRA in such situation due to its variable performance for active TB diagnosis.
CONCLUSIONS: Misdiagnosis is frequent in bone tuberculosis due to non-specific signs. We draw the attention to the importance of a global risk assessment prior to the introduction of biological treatment for suspected chronic inflammatory rheumatism and recall the risk factors for false-negative IGRA. An extended treatment course may be necessary after exposure to anti-TNF-alpha.

BACKGROUND: Histoplasmosis is mainly described as a disseminated disease in people living with HIV (PLHIV). Compared to historical descriptions in immunocompetent individuals, knowledge is lacking on the detailed clinical and radiological findings and outcomes of pulmonary histoplasmosis (PH). Overlooked or misdiagnosed with other AIDS-defining condition, prognostic of PLHIV may be at risk because of inappropriate care.
METHODS: A retrospective multicentric study was conducted in PLHIV from French Guiana between January 1988 and October 2019. Proven PH were documented through mycological direct examination, culture, or histology. Patients with concomitant respiratory infections were excluded.
RESULTS: Among 65 patients, sex ratio M:F was 2.4 with a median age of 39 years [IQR 25-75%: 34-44]. Median CD4 count was 24 cells/mm3 [11-71], with histoplasmosis as the AIDS-defining condition in 88% and concomitant AIDS-defining conditions in 29%. Clinical findings were fever (89%), cough (58%), dyspnea (35%), expectoration (14%), and hemoptysis (5%). Sixty-one X-rays and 24 CT-scans were performed. On X-rays, an interstitial lung disease was mainly found (77%). On CT-scans, a nodular pattern was predominant (83%): mostly miliary disease (63%), but also excavated nodules (35%). Consolidations were present in 46%, associated with miliary disease in 21%. Thoracic lymphadenopathies were found in 58%, mainly hilar and symmetric (33%). Despite antifungal treatment, case-fatality rate at one month was 22%.
CONCLUSIONS: When faced with an interstitial lung disease on X-rays or a miliary pattern on CT-scans in advanced PLHIV, physicians in endemic areas, apart from tuberculosis or pneumocystosis, should include histoplasmosis as part of their differential diagnoses.

Joint symptoms associated with gout, mostly characterized by joint flare-ups, are well known. Tophi represent the main cutaneous manifestation of gout, most often associated with a chronic and inadequately controlled disease. On rare occasions, atypical skin manifestations may occur. We present the case of a miliary form of gout in a 36-year-old man known to have hyperuricemia. Microscopic direct analysis of the skin material revealed the presence of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals. Rash disappeared with corticosteroid therapy in parallel with joint symptoms recovery. Knowledge of this unusual gout-related skin disease is essential to diagnosing uncommon presentations of gout, which sometimes occur before joint symptoms. This case highlights the importance of sampling any skin lesion suspected of being tophus, for MSU crystal identification, and provides a definitive diagnosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is quite prevalent in developing countries, with an ever-rising incidence of extrapulmonary cases. TB of bones and joints is quite challenging to diagnose. Most spinal TB lesions localize at the thoracic and lumbar levels; cervical lesions are a rarity. Hence, most neck pains are labelled cervical spondylosis as the symptomatology of cervical spine tuberculosis (CTB) remains unclear. A 38-year-old male had long-standing neck pain for six months, not associated with any focal neurological deficit, nausea, vomiting, or blurred vision. After the initial evaluation by local practitioners, the pain was, as usual, attributed to cervical spondylosis and conservatively managed. However, his pain worsened, and he ultimately came to us with altered mental status. In reality, he had CTB, which later complicated to life-threatening disseminated TB with intracranial and pulmonary involvement, and he could only survive after prolonged ICU care. Even mild cervical pain should not be neglected and must undergo proper evaluation. We should consider CTB in the differential diagnosis of chronic neck pain, especially in countries where TB is endemic.

BACKGROUND: Miliary tuberculosis (TB) is one of the severest manifestations of TB that can be lethal when concomitant with the central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Bacteriological, biochemical and radiological methods for find CNS comorbidity in miliary TB was evaluated in this study.
METHODS: Consecutive miliary TB adults were retrospectively enrolled from two designated TB hospitals in China. The capacities of examinations of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), cerebral computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnosis of CNS involvement were assessed.
RESULTS: Assessment of CNS involvement with a lumbar puncture and/or neuroimaging was undertaken in 282 out of 392 of acute miliary TB. Of these 282 patients, 87.59% (247/282) had CNS involvement. Cerebral contrast-enhanced MRI (96.05%, 170/177) and MRI (93.15%, 204/219) yielded significantly higher sensitivities over CSF examination (71.92%, 146/203, P < 0.001) and CT (34.69%, 17/49, P < 0.001). The sensitivity of CSF examination was superior to CT scan (P < 0.001). Although 59.65% (134/225) miliary TB patients acquired bacteriological evidence with sputum examination, the positivity was only 8.82% (21/238) for CSF examination by conventional and molecular tests.
CONCLUSIONS: Almost all miliary TB had CNS involvement and MRI demonstrated outstanding potential over other methods. Therefore, a routinely screening of CNS TB should be strongly suggested in miliary TB and MRI could be used as the initial approach in resources rich settings.