ABSTRACT
The microbiology of infective endocarditis (IE) varies in different populations and depends on public health conditions and socioeconomic status. In low-income countries, oral Streptococci affect hearts with rheumatic valve disease in patients with poor dentition. In high-income countries, Staphylococci are the most common cause, affecting elderly and immunocompromised patients, or those with invasive devices. Gram - positive bacili as IE pathogens are unusual. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is a Gram positive bacili. It causes skin diseases in domestic and farm animals, but in humans, is a very unusual pathogen. This infection is considered a zoonosis, since most cases are linked to direct contact with vector animals. We report a 62 year-old male patient with a history of exposure to animals, who developed an infective endocarditis with severe bivalve regurgitation and septic shock, requiring antimicrobials and surgical resolution. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was isolated from blood and valve vegetation cultures. The patient had a successful evolution and was discharged from the hospital.
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Male , Middle Aged , Aged , Endocarditis , Endocarditis, Bacterial/microbiology , Erysipelothrix , Erysipelothrix Infections/diagnosis , Erysipelothrix Infections/microbiology , ZoonosesABSTRACT
La dismetría de la pelvis es frecuente en los adolescentes y puede ser un factor que provoque dolores en la columna vertebral y estar asociada a escoliosis funcionales de la región lumbar. Estas disfunciones de la columna vertebral producen incapacidad laboral, son de alta prevalencia en el mundo. Este problema de salud pública es de origen multifactorial afecta a la mayoría de las personas principalmente en la edad media de la vida. El propósito del estudio fue conocer cómo se comportan nuestros adolescentes con respecto a la variable dismetría pélvica. Para ello se analizaron 49 radiografías panorámicas de columna vertebral, de escolares entre 13 y 17 años de ambos géneros, 24 hombres y 25 mujeres, de la ciudad de Temuco, Chile. Del total de sujetos, 33 presentaron algún grado de desnivel pélvico lo que corresponde al 67,3 por ciento de los individuos. En 27 sujetos estaban en el rango 1 a 10 mm y 4 sujetos en el rango de 11 a 15 mm. En 33 sujetos tenían algún grado de desviación de la columna lumbar en el plano frontal y 16 sujetos no se observó desviación. Es importante conocer estos parámetros en nuestra población adolescente, para incorporar a la educación formal la prevención en todos los aspectos de la vida y así disminuir la sintomatología, costos de atención y rehabilitación.
Lower limb asymmetry is common in adolescents and may be a factor causing pain the spine and may also be associated with functional scoliosis of the lumbar region. Spine dysfunctions causing work related disabilities are highly prevalent throughout the world This public health issue is of multifactorial origin and affects he majority of those in mid life, the result of pelvic drop and increased lumbar lordosis. The aim of this work was to study the performance of our teenagers with respect to the mentioned variables. We analyzed 49 panoramic radiographs of the spines of schoolchildren between 13 and 17 years, 24 male and 25 female in the city of Temuco, Chile. Of total subjects 33 showed some degree of pelvic tilt which corresponds to 67.3 percent of subjects.. In 27 cases subjects were in the 1 to 10mm range and 4 subjects in the 11 to 15mm range. In 16 subjects no deviation was observed in frontal plane and 33 subjects had some degree of deviation. It is important to know these parameters in our adolescent population, to include formal education prevention in all aspects of life and to reduce the symptoms and costs of care and rehabilitation.
Subject(s)
Female , Scoliosis , Pelvic Bones/abnormalities , Pelvic Bones , Spinal Curvatures , Pelvic Pain/complications , PostureABSTRACT
Los schwannomas son tumores de naturaleza benigna o maligna, originados a partir de las células de Schwann de la vaina de mielina de nervios periféricos, autónomos y pares craneanos. Dentro de estos últimos, el nervio trigémino es el segundo en frecuencia en ser afectado. Se presenta el caso de una paciente de 33 años portadora de una neuralgia trigeminal izquierda típica de 4 meses de evolución, con un estudio imagenológico que muestra un tumor originado del nervio infraorbitario izquierdo. Se practica exéresis de la lesión, cuyo estudio histológico revela un schwannoma benigno del nervio infraorbitario. No existen casos con afectación de este nervio publicados a la fecha en la literatura internacional que se ha revisado.
Schwannomas are benign or malignant tumors that arise from Schwann cells in the myelin sheath of peripheral, autonomic or cranial nerves. Among the latter, involvement of the trigeminal nerve is usually the second in frequency. We report the case of a 33 year old patient presenting with a left trigeminal neuralgia of 4 month of evolution. The imaging study showed a tumor of the left infraorbital nerve. The lesion was excised, and the histological study revealed a benign Schwannoma of the infraorbital nerve. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this nerve being affected.
Subject(s)
Female , Adult , Humans , Trigeminal Nerve Diseases/diagnosis , Trigeminal Nerve Diseases/therapy , Cranial Nerve Neoplasms/diagnosis , Cranial Nerve Neoplasms/therapy , Facial Pain/etiology , Trigeminal Nerve Diseases/complications , Neurilemmoma/diagnosis , Neurilemmoma/therapyABSTRACT
Non-invasive methods using maternal plasma and serum for molecular genetic diagnosis have become an important field of interest in prenatal genetic diagnosis. Free fetal DNA in maternal plasma and serum has been shown to be useful for fetal gender determination, and seems to offer a new possibility to perform non-invasive prenatal genetic diagnosis. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 25 pregnant women selected at random. All of the pregnant women underwent blood sampling at gestational ages ranging from 9 weeks + 2 days to 12 weeks + 4 days. Maternal serum was used to detect the Y-chromosome specific sequence DYS14. 40 cycles of PCR were carried out for each DNA extract. The PCR products were analyzed by 2.5% agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining and the results were compared with the results of ultrasound scanning at 21 weeks gestation. Ultrasound scan revealed that 13 of the pregnant women were carrying a male fetus and the remaining 12 pregnant women were carrying a female fetus. PCR analysis of maternal serum of all the women participating in the study was identical to the results obtained by Ultrasound scan PCR analysis of maternal serum can be used successfully with 100% accuracy to diagnose fetal gender in maternal serum in normal single pregnancies
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Pregnancy/blood , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Ultrasonography, Prenatal , Fetus , Y ChromosomeABSTRACT
Systemic sclerosis [SSc] is characterized by a wide spread vascular disease. This study was designed to assess the vas cular damage in patients with SSc by in vivo capillary microscopy of the conventional site; the nailfold, as well as a second window the labial mucosa. The study included 17 patients [all females] suffering from SSc as well as 5 healthy controls. Nailfold and labial capillary microscopy was done to assess loop length, loop width [lumen included], loop density number/linear than, enlarged capillaries, avascualr areas, hemorrhages, and the architectural arrangement of the capillary network. Conventional nailfold capillary microscopy revealed shorter loop length, wider loop, and decreased number of capillaries/linear mm in SSc. than normal control. The SSc. patients capillaries were markedly tortuous, with frequent megacapillaries, avascular areas, and less frequently hemorrhages. Labial capillary microscopy proved as valuable as conventional nailfold examination. Labial capillaries were far easier to examine than nailfold capillaries due to the transparency of labial mucosa. In SSc patients there was loss of the normal organized architectural pattern of the capillaries. Hemorrhages were detected more frequently in labial mucosa than in nailfold, also enlarged capillaries, avascular areas, and very short capillaries were also noted. Howevere, measurements of capillary loop length and width were not as accurately recorted as those of the nailfold capillaries, but still were shorter and wider than healthy controls, respectively. Nailfold capillary microscopy is a valuable means of assessment of microvasculature in vivo for patients with SSc. It is noninvasive, informative, and reproducible. Labial capillaroscopy can be used when the nailfold is damaged or pigmented. Also, it is less affected by cold stress, chemical or mechanical factors. Patients with SSc showed a typical scleroderma pattern of microvascular changes when compared to controls
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Vasculitis , Nails , Microscopic Angioscopy , Labial FrenumABSTRACT
There has been an association between HLA-B27 and cardiovascular affection. Furthermore, a significantly increased prevalence of HLA-B27 was found in men with pacemakers who had no clinical or radiological signs of HLA-B27 associated disease. This study was planned to obtain more insight into the association between HLA-B27 and high grade AV block [HG-AVB] and sick sinus syndrome [SSS], and the possible role of HLA-B27 in causing this block. HLA tissue typing was preformed on 200 normal Egyptians [control] and 75 Egyptian pts who had permanent pacemakers implanted for HG-AVB and SSS who had no clinical or radiological signs of HLA-B27 associated disease. The pacemaker pts were classified into 3 groups according to the aetiology of AVB and SSS, group 1 included 5 pts with acquired HG-AVB, group II included 10 pts with congenital complete heart block and group III included 60 pts with idiopathic HG-AVB or SSS. HLA-B27 was present in 5/200 [2.5%] normal healthy Egyptians, in 6/60 [10%] pts with idiopathic HG-AVB and SSS [group III]. However, HLA-B27 was negative in both groups I and II. There was a statistically significant higher prevalence of HLA-B27 in pts with idiopathic HG-AVB/SSS than in both normal Egyptians and pts with acquired or congenital AVB [p < 0.05]. HLA-B27 might have a role in the aetiology of idiopathic AVB however, further research is needed to obtain more insight into its role and the role of other factors in idiopathic AVB
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , /etiology , HLA-B27 Antigen/blood , Prevalence , ElectrocardiographyABSTRACT
In preface to investigate patients with soft tissue rheumatism [myositis] for a probable underlying aetiology of Sarcocystis infection, the IFAT was standardized and evaluated. The specificity of Sarcocystis antigen prepared from a S. fusiformis strain isolated from the oesophagus of naturally infected cattle was tested against sera with +ve rheumatoid, +ve antinuclear and +ve anti - DNA factors, which are most likely to occur in patients with connective or mixed connective tissue diseases who may also present with myositis as well as sera from Toxoplasma infected individuals since both parasites are phylogenetically closely related and antibodies incidence in patients with connective tissue diseases as an opportunistic infection. The results showed absolute preclusion of false positive reactions. For sensitively, patients with different muscle complaints were examined. Three cases out of twenty showed specific antibodies. The present issues obviously indicate the validity of the IFAT for the serodiagnosis of sarcocystosis in human cases. The approach is much promising in clinical applications. By revealing the infection as an aetiology of some cases, which may be misdiagnosed, much hazards of inappropriate treatment will be presumably avoided