[C3c activation and intrathecal biosynthesis in children suffering from eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis]. / Activación y biosíntesis intratecal de C3c en niños con meningoencefalitis eosinofilica por Angiostrongylus cantonensis.

INTRODUCTION: Eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis is an emergent infectious disease in our area. The objective of the present paper is to determine if the activation of the complement system was taken placed with the C3c production in cerebrospinal fluid. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 14 patients with an average age 4.5 years were studied. In such patients a lumbar punction was performed. C3c was quantified in serum and cerebrospinal fluid by radial immunodiffusion. RESULTS: Median cell number was 396 x 10(-6)/L with an average of 8.8% of eosinophils. Main symptoms were headache, vomiting and fever. Meningeal signs were present in 50% of the patients. C3c intrathecal synthesis occurred in 13 patients (92.8%). CONCLUSION: It was demonstrated the participation of complement system in third-stage larvae destruction in cerebrospinal fluid.

[Peculiarities of meningoencephalitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis in America]. / Peculiaridades de la meningoencefalitis por Angiostrongylus cantonensis en América.

INTRODUCTION: 25 years ago was first reported in Cuba and in the western hemisphere an emergent disease: eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae. AIM: To collect in a summary form the accumulated experience and the findings of the study of this parasitosis during the period in the Western hemisphere. DEVELOPMENT AND CONCLUSIONS: There have been collected the first evidences, the parasitological and malacological findings, the experimental and molecular studies on immunology and neuroimmunology, the clinic-pathological findings in children and adults with the particularities of this diseases in our environment with special emphasis in the never-before scientific findings reported. It has been documented the testimony, the main findings among the malacological studies, the role of the immunoglobulin E and the mechanism involved in the central nervous system, the intrathecal synthesis patterns of immunoglobulins and the clinical elements in children and adults.

[Patterns of immunoglobulin synthesis in pediatric patients with Coxsackie A9 meningoencephalitis during the neuropathy epidemic in Cuba]. / Patrones de síntesis de inmunoglobulinas en pacientes pediátricos con meningoencefalitis por Coxsackie A9 durante la epidemia de neuropatía en Cuba.

INTRODUCTION: Simultaneously with the origin and development of the Cuban epidemic neuropathy, cases of viral meningoencephalitis with particular characteristics due to Coxsackie were found. This virus and Inoue-Melnick virus were found too in patients suffering from Cuban epidemic neuropathy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 31 pediatric patients suffering from viral meningoencephalitis were studied. Albumin, IgA, IgM and IgG were quantified in serum and cerebrospinal fluid by nephelometry. Cytochemical studies and reibergrams were performed. RESULTS: There was a lymphocyte predominance in cerebrospinal fluid. A dysfunction of blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier was shown in 10 patients. Twenty patients have no immunoglobulins intrathecal synthesis. The synthesis patterns were: five patients with local IgM synthesis, two patients with local IgG synthesis and IgA + IgM. IgA + IgG and IgA + IgM pattern was synthesized in one patient respectively. Two patients with low IgG synthesis percentage or IgG intrathecal fractions were reported. CONCLUSIONS: The absence of immunoglobulins intrathecal synthesis and the immunoglobulins synthesis patterns differ from other pediatric patients with enterovirus meningoencephalitis. These patterns may have relationship with modified antigenic characteristics of the virus, also found in Cuban epidemic neuropathy.