Human toxocariasis: a report of 3 cases

Toxocariasis is a worldwide helminthic zoonosis due to the infection of human by larvae of Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati. In this study, three cases of human visceral larva migrans are reported. The first case was a 5 year old male referred to hospital with the symptoms of abdominal pain, loosing appetite, tenderness, cashexia, fever and 9.5gr/dl haemoglobin. Abdominal sonography revealed an echohetrogeny 49x20x54mm in. RUQ and indicated an abscess of fecalis mass. Laparatomy was carried out and 26cm of large intestine including secum, attached small intestine and appendix [5cm] in length and ilocecal lymph node measured 2.5x1.5x0.7cm were removed. Histopathological indicated toxocariasis. The second patient was a two years old girl admitted with symptoms of abdominal pain, tenderness, loosing appetite and loosing weight for two months. The patient was anemic and hypereosinophilic [46%]. Physical examination indicated a solid mass in RUQ. Abdominal sonography revealed a solid hypoechoic mass with margin measured 88x44x63mm. The solid mass was removed after laparatomy. Histopathological examination verified the serological test against toxocara toward toxocariasis. The third case was a 46 year old female admitted with the symptoms of abdominal pain in RUQ, right tenderness, leukocytosis and eosinophilia [10%]. The clinical diagnosis was appendicitis. Appendectomy was carried out. The appendix was inflamed and around the colon was highly inflamed as well. Serological test on serum sample of the patient against toxocariasis was positive

Evaluation of carcinoemberionic antigen CEA and CA 15.3 tumor markers in patients operated for breast cancer

Tumor markers are biochemical signs of tumor existence and consist of cell surface antibodies, cytoplasm proteins, enzymes and hormones. We evaluated the variability of tumor marker levels in following-up patients without the evidence of the disease after the resection of a primary breast cancer. Carcinoemberionic antigen [CEA] and CA 15.3 were measured by commercially available methods in serial blood samples collected from 94 patients referred to surgical and oncological center of Ahwaz. In 72 cases with normal CA 15. 3, metastasis and recurrence occurred for 12% and 4.17 respectively. In 12 cases with abnormal CA15.3 metastasis and recurrence occurred for 54.55% and 4.55% respectively. In 80 cases with normal CEA metastasis and recurrence occurred for 15% and 5% respectively, and in 14 cases with abnormal CEA metastasis and recurrence occurred for 64.24% and 14% respectively. The incidence of metastasis is high in patients with abnormal tumor markers, and CA15.3 is more sensitive in following-up and evaluating the patient"s response to the treatment

Muscular hydatidosis: a report of 3 cases

Hydatidosis or cystic echinococcosis is an important zoonotic parasitic disease caused by a small taenid-tape worm [Echinococcus granulosus]with worldwide distribution, particularly in developing countries where many rural inhabitants live under poor sanitary conditions. The majority of hydatid cysts are located in liver and lungs and muscular hydatid cysts are rare. This is a report of three muscular hydatid cysts from Ahvaz, southwestern part of Iran. The first patient was a 64-year-old man with liver and left thigh cysts. The muscular cyst was measured 3 ' 3 cm in diameter. The second case was a 32 year male with left gluteal muscle mass of firm consistency measured 3 ' 3 ' 2 cm. The third case was an eighty-year old male with a soft mass tissue and painless in the left thigh measured 5 ' 5 ' 8 cm. Complete excision of muscle cysts was done and histopathological examination of specimens confirmed the hydatid cyst. Cysts of cases 1 and 2 were fertile with laminated and germinal layers and protoscolices and case 3 was unfertile. In the third case laminated and germinal layers were observed without any protoscolices