Granulomatous tracheitis and dermatitis due to Curvularia sp. in a horse: case report / [Traqueíte e dermatite granulomatosas associadas a Curvularia sp. em um equino: relato de caso]

Tracheal fungal infections in horses are rare. This case report describes surgical and clinical management of a filly with a Curvularia sp. infection within the trachea and skin that caused severe intraluminal granulomas and cutaneous nodules, respectively. The patient was successfully treated with itraconazole and surgical excision.(AU)

Infecções fúngicas traqueais em equinos são raras. Este relato de caso descreve condutas clínicas e cirúrgicas em uma égua com infecção por Curvularia sp. na traqueia e na pele, causando granulomas intraluminais severos e nódulos cutâneos, respectivamente. O animal foi tratado com sucesso com itraconazol e exérese cirúrgica.(AU)

Action of phosphorylated mannanoligosaccharides on immune and hematological responses and fecal consistency of dogs experimentally infected with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains

The therapeutic action of phosphorylated mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) was investigated regarding its prebiotic activity on enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). Diarrhea was induced in dogs by experimental infection with EPEC strains. Then MOS was supplied once a day, in water for 20 days. Immunological (IgA and IgG), hematological (lymphocytes, neutrophils and monocytes) and bacteriological variables (PCR detection of the eae gene of EPEC recovered from stool culture), as well as occurrence of diarrhea were evaluated. All strains caused diarrhea at 24, 48 and 72 h after infection. PCR results indicated that E. coli isolated from stool culture of all infected animals had the eae gene. There was no significant difference among groups as to number of blood cells in the hemogram and IgA and IgG production. MOS was effective in recovering of EPEC-infected dogs since prebiotic-treated animals recovered more rapidly from infection than untreated ones (p < 0.05). This is an important finding since diarrhea causes intense dehydration and nutrient loss. The use of prebiotics for humans and other animals with diarrhea can be an alternative for the treatment and prophylaxis of EPEC infections.

Prostatic cryptococcosis: a case report

Cryptococcosis is a systemic mycosis usually affecting immunodeficient individuals. In contrast, immunologically competent patients are rarely affected. Dissemination of cryptococcosis usually involves the central nervous system, manifesting as meningitis or meningoencephalitis. Prostatic lesions are not commonly found. A case of prostate cryptococcal infection is presented and cases of prostatic cryptococcosis in normal and immunocompromised hosts are reviewed. A fifty-year-old HIV-negative man with urinary retention and renal insufficiency underwent prostatectomy due to massive enlargement of the organ. Prostate histopathologic examination revealed encapsulated yeast-like structures. After 30 days, the patient's clinical manifestations worsened, with headache, neck stiffness, bradypsychia, vomiting and fever. Direct microscopy of the patient's urine with China ink preparations showed capsulated yeasts, and positive culture yielded Cryptococcus neoformans. This fungus was later isolated from cerebrospinal fluid and blood cultures, demonstrating thus its dissemination. The patient was discharged after 27 days in hospital and, despite a regimen of amphotericin B, he died four months later. This case points to cryptococcosis as a possible cause of prostatic disease and reinforces the importance of communication between the medical team and pathology and microbiology laboratories aiming at a more accurate diagnosis and successful treatment.

Surveillance of pediatric infections in a teaching hospital in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Nosocomial infections (NI) result in considerably high mortality and morbidity rates, especially among pediatric patients. Considering current worldwide changes, information about the occurrence of pathogens and susceptibility tests are now seen as decisive for optimizing treatment. The purpose of this research was to determine the frequency of microorganisms, antimicrobial and genetic profiles, and risk factors associated with nosocomial infections in a teaching hospital in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. From January 1998 to December 1999, 108 patients were characterized as having nosocomial infection, from which 137 pathogens were isolated. Identification and antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by conventional and automated techniques. Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains were characterized by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). Pathogens were most often isolated from infants one-month old or younger, and bloodstream infections were the most frequent. The main isolated agents isolated were: coagulase-negative staphylococci (38), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19), S. aureus (26), K. pneumoniae (18), and Candida spp. (13). The risk conditions that were most closely related to NI acquisition were: prolonged hospital stays (69.4 percent), prematurity (60.9 percent) and exposure to high-risk device procedures (95.4 percent). Ciprofloxacin and imipenem were the most effective drugs, inhibiting all or almost all of the Enterobacteriaceae, P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus isolates. Only 23 percent of the S. aureus samples were resistant to oxacillin. Genomic typing revealed 10 distinct patterns for S. aureus and 13 for K. pneumoniae, suggesting that most them did not belong to the same clone. PFGE was effective in differentiating the strains