0000000000380686
AUTHOR
Joachim Kaes
Lethal systemic and brain infection caused by Prototheca zopfii algae in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia
Systemic protothecosis is an exceptionally rare cause of sepsis with few available therapeutic options. Here, we report on a female patient with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia who died after start of chemotherapy due to a severe septic shock caused by a disseminated systemic infection with Prototheca zopfii including encephalitis.
New-onset third-degree atrioventricular block because of autoimmune-induced myositis under treatment with anti-programmed cell death-1 (nivolumab) for metastatic melanoma
There has been considerable progress in treating malignant melanoma over the last few years. The immune-checkpoint-inhibitors nivolumab and pembrolizumab have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2014 for the therapy of metastatic melanoma. Anti-programmed cell death-1-blocking antibodies are known to cause immune-related adverse events. Physicians should be aware of common and rare side effects and pay attention to new ones. We therefore report a severe and life-threatening side effect of anti-programmed cell death-1 immunotherapy with nivolumab that has not been previously reported: the development of a third-degree atrioventricular block. After a second infusion with nivo…