us-map.html ¶ A list of severe manifestations of monkeypox can be found at https://emergency. cdc.gov/han/2022/han00475.asp. ** During the study period and as of October 21, 2022, CDC was notified by state and local jurisdictions of five decedents whose death certificates included monkeypox as a cause of death or contributing factor, six decedents whose cause of death is still under active investigation, and one decedent in whom the death was not monkeypox-related. Additional monkeypox cases involving severe disease or death might not be included in this report if CDC has not yet been notified about the case or if the case occurred outside of the study period.

BackgroundThe increased use of computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is often justified by finding alternative diagnoses explaining patients’ symptoms. However, this has not been rigorously examined.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed CTPA done at our center over an eleven year period (2000 – 2010) in patients with suspected pulmonary embolus (PE). We then reviewed in detail the medical records of a representative sample of patients in three index years – 2000, 2005 and 2008. We determined whether CTPA revealed pulmonary pathology other than PE that was not readily identifiable from the patient’s history, physical examination and prior chest X-ray. We also assessed whether the use of pre-test probability guided diagnostic strategy for PE.ResultsA total of 12,640 CTPA were performed at our center from year 2000 to 2010. The number of CTPA performed increased from 84 in 2000 to 2287 in 2010, a 27 fold increase. Only 7.6 percent of all CTPA and 3.2 percent of avoidable CTPAs (low or intermediate pre-test probability and negative D-dimer) revealed previously unknown findings of any clinical significance. When we compared 2008 to 2000 and 2005, more CTPAs were performed in younger patients (mean age (years) for 2000: 67, 2005: 63, and 2008: 60, (p=0.004, one–way ANOVA)). Patients were less acutely ill with fewer risk factors for PE. Assessment of pre-test probability of PE and D-dimer measurement were rarely used to select appropriate patients for CTPA (pre-test probability of PE documented in chart (% total) in year 2000: 4.1%, 2005: 1.6%, 2008: 3.1%).ConclusionsOur data do not support the argument that increased CTPA use is justified by finding an alternative pulmonary pathology that could explain patients’ symptoms. CTPA is being increasingly used as the first and only test for suspected PE.

Malaria remains a major health problem in much of Asia and Africa. A steady number of cases of imported malaria are also seen in many countries of the developed world. Plasmodium falciparum malaria and to some extent malaria caused by other species of Plasmodium can lead to many complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), cerebral malaria, acute renal failure, severe anemia, thrombocytopenia, and bleeding complications. About 10% of patients with severe malaria die, usually as a result of multiorgan dysfunction. Critical care physicians should be aware of the complications and management of severe malaria. There has been significant progress in the understanding of pathogenesis of severe malaria over the last decade. Effective management of severe malaria includes early suspicion, prompt diagnosis, early institution of appropriate antimalarial chemotherapy, and supportive care, preferably in an intensive care unit. In this article, we review the different manifestations of severe malaria as relevant to critical care physicians and discuss the principles of laboratory diagnosis and management.