AbstractWe describe the case of a 19-year-old woman who presented with abdominal pain, vomiting, and a palpable purpuric rash. The patient subsequently developed dysentery and was found to have an infection from Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli.

Abstract Actinomyces spp. has been shown to form biofilms when exposed to copper, possibly enhancing its degradation. Fragmentation and migration of the copper coil on an intrauterine device (IUD) is rare, but the concomitant presence of Actinomyces spp. may increase its incidence.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which is a member of the Poxviridae family of viruses. It is transmitted through direct or indirect contact with fluid secretions. Initial symptoms include fever, chills, headache, and malaise, followed by a maculopapular rash that starts on the face and progresses centrifugally. Polymerase chain reaction is the preferred laboratory test for the diagnosis, and management is mostly supportive. The clinical presentation of monkeypox is quite similar to that of another member of the Poxviridae family: smallpox, which wreaked havoc in the 20th century, before being eradicated with the help of the vaccinia virus vaccine in 1977. This vaccine protects not only against smallpox but also monkeypox; therefore, when use of this vaccine was discontinued, monkeypox had a new susceptible population to infect and way to proliferate and evolve. Initially the disease spread in Africa, but now the more evolved monkeypox is quickly spreading to other countries. On July 23, 2022, the World Health Organization declared this multicountry outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Given its mutating ability and high transmissibility, we need to quickly devise measures to control this virus before it turns into a pandemic.

Planning a birth with few to no medical interventions? Learn how at your own time and pace! This interactive online course builds on what you have already learned in a standard childbirth preparation class. You will learn more about natural childbirth, comfort techniques, and how to write a natural birth plan. By watching several birth stories, you will also get a sense of what natural birth is like. Allow 3-4 hours to complete.