Simultaneous occurrence of pulmonary tuberculosis and carcinomatous lymphangitis

Tuberculosis is an important cause of mortality due to its high prevalence, considering that one third of the worldÆs population is infected with the tuberculosis bacillus. We report the first case of carcinomatous lymphangitis associated with active pulmonary tuberculosis. Carcinomatous lymphangitis is a rare event that may be confounded with tuberculosis because of its radiographic and clinical characteristics.

Tuberculose é uma causa importante de mortalidade devido a sua alta prevalência, uma vez que um terço da população mundial encontra-se infectada com o bacilo da tuberculose. Nós relatamos o primeiro caso de linfangite carcinomatosa associada à tuberculose pulmonar ativa. A linfangite carcinomatosa é um evento raro que pode ser confundida com tuberculose pelos aspectos clínicos e radiológicos.

Management of disability in lymphatic filariasis--an update.

The global lymphatic filariasis elimination programme incorporates disability management along with transmission control, to ensure 'a visible impact' on those who are already affected by the disease. The common manifestations of lymphatic filariasis like lymphoedema; elephantiasis and hydrocele result from irreversible damage caused to the lymphatics by the adult worms. Only palliative treatment in the form of physical methods and surgery is available for lymphoedema and elephantiasis. Hydrocele can be corrected by surgery. The most distressing aspect of lymphatic filariasis is the attacks of acute adenolymphangitis, which cause considerable short-term and also long-term disability by worsening the lymphoedema. Since each episode prevents the person from attending his work for several days, the economic loss is substantial. The precipitating cause of these attacks is secondary infection, the bacteria entering the tissues through 'entry lesions' in the skin. These episodes can very well be prevented by proper 'local-hygiene' of the affected limbs, which is a simple, effective, cheap and sustainable method that can be carried out even in the patient's house. These subjects and the providers of 'home care' should be trained in foot-hygiene programme, so that the message percolates to various levels in the affected communities, ultimately benefiting the patient.

A preliminary study of filariasis related acute adenolymphangitis with special reference to precipitating factors and treatment modalities.

Episodic adenolymphangitis (ADL) is one of the important clinical manifestations of lymphatic filariasis. Recurrent ADLs contribute to the progress of the disease and also have important socioeconomic implications since they cause significant loss of man days. The present study was conducted in order to identify the precipitating factors responsible for ADL attacks and also to examine the different modalities of treatment. Sixty-five individuals with filariasis related ADL attacks, who are residents of Alleppey district (endemic for Brugia malayi) were studied. All efforts were taken to identify the precipitating factors for ADLs in these individuals. They were hospitalized for a period of five days or more. All of them received symptomatic antipyretic/antiinflammatory therapy and topical antibiotic/antifungal treatment of the affected limbs. They were then randomly allocated to one of the following four regimens: group I - symptomatic alone; group II - symptomatic plus antibiotics; group III - symptomatic followed by diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) and group IV - symptomatic plus antibiotic followed by DEC. Patients in groups III and IV received DEC every three months up to one year. There was a significant relationship between the number of ADL attacks and the grade of edema. Presence of focus of infection in the affected limb could be identified in 28 of the 65 patients. In the majority of patients (48) response to treatment was rapid (resolution in less than five days). Neither antibiotics nor DEC (given at intervals of three months) appeared to alter the frequency of ADL attacks. On the otherhand simple hygienic measures combined with good foot care and local antibiotic/antifungal cream application (where required), were effective in reducing the number of ADL attacks.

Changes in complement C3 levels following treatment of patients with Brugia malayi infection.

Serum IgG levels and complement C3 levels were assayed on Day 0, 1, 3-4, 7 and 56-70 post-treatment with diethylcarbamizine citrate (DEC) in a series to 26 patients with Brugia malayi infection and 6 volunteers without infection. On treatment, the microfilariae were cleared from the blood within 24 hours. The eosinophils decreased dramatically on Day 1 post-treatment but increased rapidly by Day 4 to 7 and then dropped to normal levels in 45 days. The serum IgG mean levels decreased briefly following treatment with DEC but then returned to original levels. However, the complement C3 levels gradually increased over the 2 months period of study reaching statistical significance levels (p less than 0.01) in patients with initial high blood microfilariae. The observation suggests that Brugia malayi infection probably induces a high rate of synthesis of complement C3 and this process continued in the post-treatment phase. Since, DEC treatment did not cause a decrease in complement C3 with the elimination of blood microfilariae, it would appear that the complement C3 is consumed following antibody attachment to the microfilariae as they enter the blood circulation.

Linfangite de nádegas: relato de um caso / Lymphangitis of buttocks: report of a case

Os autores mostram um caso de linfangite de nádega, observada a partir de lesäo interdigital de pé direito. O diagnóstico, tratamento e evoluçäo do caso säo aqui relatados e discutidos