Kikuchi fujimoto disease in 21 year old man

Kikuchi Fujimoto disease also known as histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis is a benign disorder characterized histologically by necrotic foci surrounded by histiocytic aggregates, and with the absence of neutrophils. The patient was a 21 year old man with chills, fever and cervical lymphadenopathy. He had swelling and tenderness of cervical area. Multiple enlarged lymph nodes were palpable. Cervical lymph node excisional biopsy was performed. Microscopic examination showed reactive follicular hyperplasia with vast areas of necrosis without neutrophilic infiltration. No sign of malignancy was seen. Final diagnosis was Kikuchi Fujimoto necrotizing lymphadenitis. Kikuchi Fujimoto disease should be considered as one of the differential diagnoses in patients with prolonged fever and cervical lymphadenopathy. It should be differentiated from tuberculous lymphadenitis in regions where tuberculosis is prevalent

[Effect of infection on serum lipid level, a prospective study in Iran]

Serum lipid level may change due to acute febrile illness. This study was designed to evaluate serum lipid level changes in acute infectious diseases and emphasis on importance of serum lipid level measurement in infectious disease. This study also compares diagnostic value of serum lipids and acute phase reactant markers. This study was performed on 100 critically ill patients in 3 tertiary care hospitals in Tehran, Iran. 50 patients with infectious diseases were selected as case group and 50 patients without infectious diseases as control group. Serum level of total cholesterol [TC], high density lipoprotein [HDL], low density lipoprotein [LDL] and triglyceride [TG] were compared in case and control groups. Patients with critical illness and infection had lower level of HDL than patients with critical illness without infection. Mean and standard deviation of FIDL was 40 +/- 19 in case and 53 +/- 14 in control groups. HDL value as a guide to diagnosis infection is equal to erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR] and C- reactive protein [CRP]. Serum lipid level change in acute febrile illness. Serum level of high density lipoprotein decreases in infectious diseases and diagnostic value of high density lipoprotein is equal to erythroeyte sedimentation rate [ESR] and C- reactive protein [CRP] in our study

BCG vaccination and active tuberculosis prevention: a three-year study

Six to eight million people are infected with tuberculosis [TB] annually throughout the world, out of which 2 to 3 million die. BCG vaccination and its efficacy are always used in tuberculosis control planning. There are different rates of BCG vaccination efficacy in the world from 0 to 80%. BCG vaccine has different efficacy in endemic and non-endemic areas. The prevalence of tuberculosis in Iran is high; therefore it was necessary to perform a study in this regard. This was a case-control descriptive study conducted from 2001- 2003. There were 50 cases of active pulmonary tuberculosis [according to WHO definitions], and 100 controls without tuberculosis admitted for other reasons. Vaccination was done in 10 [20%] people in the case group and 36 [36%] people in the control group [OR: 43%].Thus vaccine efficacy was calculated to be 57% in this study from the equation VE=1-OR [CI: 95% between 0.04-0.81]. Twenty percent of vaccinated people have been protected from active tuberculosis in this study. In this study vaccine efficacy was 57% [CI: 95% between 4-81%], and protection rate of vaccinated people against active tuberculosis was 20%. The effectiveness of BCG vaccine is not constant in all situations and old age and past history of contact with TB patients are confounding factors causing the low efficacy of the vaccine. While case control studies have limitations; thus, similar studies should be planned in different parts of our country for more accurate results