RESUMEN
Background: Recent studies suggest that the occurrence of mycotic infections is increasing worldwide, due to predisposing factors such as immunosuppression from chemotherapy, surgery, HIV/AIDS and debilitating diseases, but there is paucity of information regarding fungal infections in our environment. Aim: This study aimed to characterise mycoses diagnosed histopathologically in the Department of Pathology, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan between 1970 and 2006. Methods: The surgical pathology and autopsy records of all mycoses diagnosed during the study period were retrieved and analysed. One hundred and eighty-six mycoses were recruited. Results: There was a progressive decline in the annual occurrence of mycoses from 19.7% to 1.1%. The cases comprised 121 males and 65 females, whose ages ranged from 6 weeks to 80 years, with 68.3% being less than 40 years of age. The mean age of the male patients (29.9±18.4 years) was not significantly different from that of the females (27.4±18.2 years), t = 0.867, df = 186, p = 0.387. The most common mycotic infections were African histoplasmosis (28%), aspergillosis (12.4%), mycetoma (9.7%), candidiasis (8.6%) and actinomycosis (7%). Systemic mycoses accounted for 62%, followed by subcutaneous mycoses (21%), cutaneous mycoses (11%) and superficial mycoses (6%). The most common sites involved were the skin (23.7%), upper and lower limbs (15.6%), nose (11.3%) and lungs (7%). Conclusion: The present study has demonstrated that fungal infections are common and account for significant morbidity and disease burden in our environment.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The etiology of gastric cancer has not been clearly delineated. There is some evidence of an association of gastric cancer with Helicobacter pylori-induced chronic gastritis, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia. Previous studies report a high rate of H. pylori infection and chronic gastritis among Nigerians. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 84 tissue specimens with gastric cancer seen in our department over an 18-year period for for the presence of H. pylori infection, chronic gastritis, atrophic gastritis, and intestinal metaplasia in the adjacent non-cancerous gastric mucosa. RESULTS: H. pylori infection was detected in 15 (17.9%) of 84 specimens. Moderate to severe gastritis was found in non-cancerous areas in 77 (91.7%) specimens, and was equally frequent in patients with 'intestinal' and 'diffuse' types of cancer. Atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia were observed in 22 (26.2%) and 35 (41.7%) specimens, respectively, and were more common in 'intestinal' type of gastric cancer. CONCLUSION: Chronic gastritis was seen in the adjacent non-cancerous mucosa in most specimens with gastric cancer. However, its severity did not correlate with the histological subtype of gastric cancer.