Bancroftian filariasis in the metropolitan area of Recife (Pernambuco State, Brazil): clinical aspects in histologically diagnosed cases

Clínical data on 75 patients, 33 males (44%) and 42 females (56%), with histopathological diagnosis of vbancroftian filariasis observed in Recife are presented. The disease predominated in young people. Lymph nodes, especially those of the inguinal region, were the most common site of lesion while the female breast represented the most frequent extra-nodal involvement. The index of clinical suspicion was los, neoplasias being the main preoperatory diagnosis

[3H]-Acetylcholine release from rat atria in chronic chagasic cardiopathy

Isolated superfused rat atria release [3H]-acetylcholine when depolarized with 57 mM potassium. The depolarization-induced [3H]-acetylcholine overflow was significantly reduced in atria from chronically T. cruzi-infected rats with electrocardiographically characterized cardiopathy. This fact suggests the occurrence of functional alterations of cardiac parasympathetic control in these animals, probably related to cardiac ganglioma cell destruction