Acute pancreatitis in viral infections, with possible progression to chronic pancreatitis.

Isolated cases and small series of acute pancreatitis complicating viral infections have been reported. However, data on the natural history of such patients are sparse. We report a series of five patients of acute pancreatitis complicating diverse viral infections. During follow-up ranging from 6 to 36 months, two of these five patients developed evidence of chronic pancreatitis.

Tropical pancreatitis and fibrocalculous pancreatic diabetes--two sides of the same coin?

Tropical pancreatitis and fibrocalculous pancreatitic diabetes are usually considered two ends of the same disease although some studies suggest the likelihood of distinct entities. We report the occurrence of these two diseases in two siblings. The literature comparing the similarities and differences between them is briefly reviewed.