Plexiform Neurofibroma in a 16 year old boy

Plexiform Neurofibroma appeared at the age of 5 years, with little pain and itching at the site. Increase in size and weight of Plexifom was gradual with age. In this case the Plexiform developed on lower right arm. All over the body, the patient also showed other signs of NFl, Caf‚-au-lait spots [CLSs] and sessile neurofibroma. Freckles were seen in the arm pits and over the stomach skin. The Lisch nodules were also present in the eyes of the subject. Pedigree of the patient confirms that the case is familial one where his mother had NFl but no Plexiform. Biopsy confirms that neurofibromatosis tumors were benign

Elisa method for evaluation of anti A60 IgG for the diagnosis of tuberculosis

Background/Objectives: An ELISA test based on mycobacterial antigen A60 for the estimation of Anti [A60] IgG in the serum has been used successfully for the rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis in studies done in the European countries, China and India. To demonstrate and evaluate anti-tuberculosis anti-body IgG for rapid diagnosis of both pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis, this study was carried out in our set up

Methods: ELISA assay based on mycobacterial antigen A60 [Anda Biologicals, France] was used to the sera obtained from 69 cases of tuberculosis and 136 controls in the population of Karachi, Sindh -Pakistan

Results: Of 136 controls, only 17.7% were positive for IgG antibodies and showing 82.3% specificity. A very high sensitivity [88.8%] was seen in sputum positive active pulmonary tuberculosis. Relatively low [75%] sero-positivity was seen in cases of sputum negative active pulmonary tuberculosis compared to those of sputum positive active pulmonary tuberculosis. In cases of extra pulmonary tuberculosis, 47.3% sensitivity was observed. In case of healed tuberculosis quite a large number of cases was found positive for IgG [62.5%]

Conclusion: The estimation value of anti tuberculosis antibody IgG against A60 for the rapid diagnosis is proved from our data. Considering all the cases of active tuberculosis and the controls the global sensitivity of 69.8% and specificity of 82.4% were obtained when IgG antibodies estimation were taken into account

Life history and morphology of melanostoma scalare

The homopteran Melanostoma scalare Fabre, from British Isles was studied for potential use as biological control agent of the aphids. Prey consumption and prey specificity on Drepanosiphum plantanoidin, Metapolophium urticae and Acyrthosiphum pisum was also studied. Information in the morphological changes of M. scalare is also presented