Oral Atrophic Lichen Planus: Diagnosis and Management.

Lichen planus is a chronic T-cell mediated autoimmune disease, which affects the oral mucosa, skin, genital mucosa, scalp and nails. Oral lichen planus, the mucosal counterpart affects 0.5-2.0% of the general population and often seen in the fifth to sixth decades of life. The lesion is frequently seen in women. Since it is considered a potentially malignant disorder, early diagnosis with timely management and regular follow-up is very important to avoid further complications. This paper reports a case of atrophic lichen planus, highlights the classic picture of atrophic lichen planus, discusses the differential diagnoses and timely management and follow-up.

Diagnosis and differentiation between E. histolytica and E. dispar by PCR technique

Amoebiasis caused by the enteric protozoan E. histolytica, is one of the major parasitic diseases in the world, it is responsible for up to 100,000 deaths per year. It is common in developing countries with poor socioeconomic conditions and malnutrition. It is well established recently the clear distinction of two separate species which are morphologically indistinguishable E. histolytica and E. dispar the later species is proved to be non- pathogenic and does not require any treatment. This work was done to evaluate PCR technique as a method for diagnosis and discrimination between the two species, and to assess the incidince of this parasite in Qualiubia Province. The study included 200 cases from out patient clinic. History front the patient was taken, the samples were subjected to macroscopical and microscopical stool examination, formol-ether concentration of samples, and PCR of the DNA extracted from stool samples. All the results obtained were analysed statistically

Depression secondary to other psychiatric disorders and medical illness

This study was carried out on 72 subjects classified into three groups: Group I Including 24 psychiatric patients with anxiety disorder or schizophrenia. Group II: Including 36 patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension or chronic bilharzial liver disease. Group III: A control group of 12 persons not suffering from neither psychiatric disorders nor medical organic disorders. All cases and control group were subjected to thorough medical examination, appropriate investigations to confirm the diagnosis and psychiatric interview depending on the criteria of DSM. Ill and Zagazig Depression Scale [Z.D.S] for diagnosis. The study showed that the incidence of secondary depression in psychiatric disorders [75%] was much more common than in medical disorders [30.55%] and in control group [41.6%] The diabetic patients showed higher incidence of depression compared to the other medical diseases and control group however the depression was higher in control group than in bilharzial liver disease and hypertension. The severity of depression correlated positively with the duration of medical organic diseases while such correlation was lacking in psychiatric group. Suicidal tendency was higher in psychiatric disorders than in the other two groups. The educational level was an important factor for the prevalence of depression in psychiatric patients but has no role in medical and or control group. We concluded that the prevalence of secondary depression in psychiatric disorders is much more common than that in medical organic illness. The diabetic patients showed higher incidence of reactive depression and psychological support to them is advised as a part of diabetic management. However the psychological support is less important in management of bilharzial liver disease

Percutaneous drainage of abdominal abscesses and fluid collections

This report summarizes the results of 64 percutaneous catheter drainage of abdominal abscesses and fluid collections in 56 patients. Aspiration and drainage was guided with computed tomography in 34 patients and with ultrasound in 30 patients. Success rate was 90%. Infected collections were successfully drained in 94% and noninfected collections in 72%. Partial success was achieved in two patients. Three patients failed to respond to percutaneous drainage. Recurrence occurred in one. Complications occurred in nine patients, two of which were major [3%] and seven were minor [11%]. Image- guided percutaneous drainage appears to be the treatment of choice for most of the intraabdominal collections

Differential staining of schistosome ova in biopsies

The significance of identifying the infecting schistosome species has been high lighted recently by the availability of specific chemotherapeutic agents and an awareness that the tissue response - and therefore the prognosis - may be species-dependent. Moreover human interference with the ecological systems in parts of the developing world has modified the epidemiological map of schistosomiasis resulting in a rising incidence of mixd infections. Differentiation between the ova of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium the two species commonly seen in immigrants to Kuwait and to other non-endemic areas of the world, usually poses no problems in urinary and faecal specimens. However, in histopathological samples, their distinctive morphological features cannot often be assessed reliably. We obtained satisfactory differentiation by using a modified Ziehl-Neelsen method on 81 routinely fixed and processed biopsy samples. Moreover, on destained sections previously stained with haematoxylin and eosin, the differences were equally evident. Details of the method and its applications both in routine histopathological practice and for research arc discussed

Significance of oxalate crystals in the sputum for the differentiation between bronchial and pulmonary diseases

Sixty patients with different broncho pulmonary diseases [34 asthmatics, 9 with chronic obstructive lung diseases, 2 with bronchiectasis and 15 with non-bronchial pulmonary diseases, working as, gardeners, farmers, bakers, housewives and others] together with 20 matched normal control persons were the subjects of this study. All the studied groups were clinically examined, radiological examination for chest and peak expiratory flow neter [PEFM] for the diagnosis of different broncho pulmonary diseases also direct microscopic examinat; on of sputum to search for oxalate crystals was done. Intradermal skin tests to the common allergens followed by precipitin formation were done to all subjects. It was found that, oxalate crystals in the sputum were present only in patients with bronchial tree affections and not present in the sputum of other groups. Only patients with extrinsic asthma gave + ve skin tests to the different allergens, the more prevalent was house dust antigens. One female patient only with intrinsic bronchial asthma gave + ve precipition to Asp. Fumigatus. One may conclude that, the presence of oxalate crystals in the sputum may be pathognomonic of bronchial tree affections

Diagnostico rapido de meningitis por Haemophilus influenzae tipo B con la prueba de aglutinacion de particulas de latex / Latex particle agglutination test for early diagnosis of Haemophilus influenzae type B meningitis

Desde Diciembre de 1980 a febrero de 1981, se realizo la prueba de aglutinacion de las particulas de latex (APL) para el diagnostico de infecciones por Hemophilus influenzae tipo B en 14 muestras de liquido cefalorraquideo, 1 efusion subdural, 1 derrame pleural y 2 muestras de orina. La APL es facil de realizar y de gran importancia para el diagnostico precoz de las infecciones producidas por este germen, inclusive cuando el paciente ha recibido antibioticos previos a la consulta