Incidents of violence against doctors in the Indian subcontinent have increased in the last few years. Most doctors in India, China, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka are concerned about their safety at work. The problem is worse in government hospitals, which characteristically lack appropriate security protocols. In order to tackle the issue, doctors need to accept the problem, discuss the various causative factors, understand the public sentiment and collaborate with the government to find a solution. Formulation of legal provisions and standards to ensure the safety of health workers is the need of the hour.

The risk of VTE varies among cancer patients. Recently introduced prediction models better identify those at high risk of VTE. New mechanisms underlying hypercoagulability in cancer have been uncovered. Initial data on the efficacy of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) compared with low-molecular weight heparin to treat VTE in patients with cancer are promising. However, they may be associated with higher risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. VTE causes significant morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. Our understanding of the mechanisms of VTE, including those associated with cancer treatments, has significantly grown. The assessment of the benefit/risk balance of VTE treatment remains challenging in many patients with cancer. The introduction of DOACs has expanded treatment options, but knowledge on their efficacy and safety is incomplete.

Lactobacillus species are a commensal flora of the human gastrointestinal and the female genitourinary tract. Lactobacilli especially the rhamnosus species, are common components of commercial probiotics. They are rarely associated with pathology in immunocompetent people, but they have been known to cause dental caries, bacteremia, and endocarditis in patients with suppressed immune function. Cases of Lactobacillus bacteremia have been reported in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, large granular lymphocytic leukemia, and in transplant recipients. In this article, we report a strange case of recurrent Lactobacillus bacteremia causing multiple episodes of fever of unknown origin in a patient with leukemia. This report is unique as Lactobacillus is not recognized as a common source of bacteremia. Moreover, the source of the bacillus continued to elude us even after extensive investigation.

Nanomedicine is one of the most promising therapeutic modalities researchers are working on. It involves development of drugs and devices that work at the nanoscale (10-9m). Coronary artery disease (CAD) is responsible for more than a third of all deaths in age group >35 years. With such a huge burden of mortality, CAD is one of the diseases where nanomedicine is being employed for preventive and therapeutic interventions. Nanomedicine can effectively deliver focused drug payload at sites of local plaque formation. Non-invasive strategies include thwarting angiogenesis, intra-arterial thrombosis and local inflammation. Invasive strategies following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) include anti-restenosis and healing enhancement. However, before practical application becomes widespread, many challenges need to be dealt with. These include manufacturing at the nanoscale, direct nanomaterial cellular toxicity and visualization.

Gordonia is a catalase-positive, aerobic, nocardioform, Gram-positive staining actinomycete that also shows weak acid-fast staining. Several Gordonia species are commonly found in the soil. The bacterium has been isolated from the saliva of domesticated/wild dogs as well. In hospitalized patients, most commonly it is found in the setting of intravascular catheter-related infections. However, recent reports show that it is being increasingly isolated from sternal wounds, skin/neoplastic specimens and from pleural effusions. Gordonia shares many common characteristics with Rhodococcus and Nocardia. Ergo, it is commonly misrecognized as Nocardia or Rhodococcus. Since this pathogen requires comprehensive morphological and biochemical testing, it is often difficult and cumbersome to isolate the species. Broad-range Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing with genes like 16S rRNA or hsp65 are used to correctly identify the species. Identification is essential for choosing and narrowing the right antimicrobial agent. Herein, we report our experience with a patient who presented with sternal osteomyelitis after infection with this elusive bug.