Invasive lung infection by Scedosporium apiospermum in an immunocompetent individual.

Scedosporium apiospermum previously known as Monospermum apiospermum is a ubiquitous fungus found in soil, polluted water and sewage. It causes broad spectrum of diseases, including soft tissue infections, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, ophthalmic infections, sinusitis, pneumonia, meningitis, brain abscesses, endocarditis and disseminated infection. In recent years, it has been shown to be pathogenic for both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed patients. It is a signifi cant opportunist with very high levels of antifungal resistance. We report here a case of invasive lung infection due to S. apiospermum in an immunocompetent patient who responded to antifungal therapy and surgical treatment.

Univentricular heart: management options.

The term ''Univentricular Heart'' encompasses a wide variety of heart defects that functionally and physiologically constitute a single ventricular chamber. The terminology ''univentricular repair'' is frequently used in the surgical literature to include those biventricular hearts that are not amenable for a final two ventricle repair and need to go through the same surgical stages as with a functionally univentricular heart, culminating finally in a total cavo-pulmonary connection. Broadly, treatment is focused on controlling the pulmonary blood flow in early infancy, by means of aorto-pulmonary shunting in pulmonary atresia or stenosis, and pulmonary artery banding or pulmonary artery disconnection with aorto-pulmonary shunt placement in high pulmonary blood flow situations. Concomitant repair of other associated conditions is required. Babies with hypoplastic left heart physiology undergo staged "Norwood" repair resulting in an eventual total cavo-pulmonary connection with the RV functioning as the systemic ventricle. In this review, medical and surgical management of these patients will be discussed, after a brief discussion of nomenclature, anatomic and physiologic considerations.

Kawasaki disease in India.

Kawasaki disease was first described 30 years ago. The authors report 5 children with Kawasaki disease who presented within 18-month-period and describe their clinical presentation and management.

Approach to congenital heart disease in the neonate.

Congenital heart disease in the newborn is a unique and complex problem faced by both pediatricians and cardiologists as it requires skillful handling and balancing of both neonatal issues as well as cardiac physiology. Babies with cyanotic and acyanotic heart disease are physiologically different from each other and management has to be tailored to the individual diagnosis and clinical status. Rapid diagnosis and appropriate management is the key to reducing mortality and morbidity in this fragile patient population. The following review deals with the common presentations of heart problems in a newborn baby and methods of diagnosis, investigative modalities, recent advances and approach to management.