ABSTRACT
During recent years the proportion of tinea capitis infections due to Microsporum audouinii has increased in both Belgium and other European countries. To better understand the emergence of this species, the Belgian National Reference Centre for dermatophytes launched an epidemiological survey on the main anthropophilic dermatophytes causing tinea capitis in Belgium and included the genomic characterization of M. audouinii isolates. In total, 116 strains of M. audouinii were confirmed and characterized by the DiversiLab(®) system (bioMérieux). Six genotypic variants were identified, among which one major group included 90 isolates and the reference strain. Another variant group (11 strains) was exclusively confined to a geographical region in south Belgium. Analysis of epidemiological characteristics of the infected population showed that the main age category was 5- to 9-year-old children with a sex ratio (male/female) of 1.97. Data concerning the geographic origin of the family revealed a majority of Belgian nationality (44.7%), suggesting that the infection originated in Belgium. Other nationalities were primarily African. At this time, no clear correlation has been established between one particular strain and a specific country of origin.
Subject(s)
Dermatomycoses/epidemiology , Dermatomycoses/microbiology , Genotype , Microsporum/classification , Microsporum/genetics , Adolescent , Belgium/epidemiology , Child , Child, Preschool , DNA, Ribosomal Spacer , Female , Genes, Fungal , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Molecular Typing , Population Surveillance , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Young AdultABSTRACT
Hereditary epidermolysis bullosa (HEB) constitute a genodermatosis group with variable clinical severity. The aim of the study was to confront the diagnosis established by electron microscopy (EM), with the clinical presentation and evolution, genetic analysis and immunofluorescence, and to observe if there was concordance. Biopsies diagnosed as HEB in the last 15 years, were retrieved from the database of the C.H.U. Saint-Pierre EM lab. Each corresponding medical file was reviewed and the following data were recorded: date of birth, sex, age, age at biopsy, ultrastructural characteristics, degree of certainty regarding the EM diagnosis, family history, clinical lesions and their evolution as well as other diagnostic tests performed. 21 patients, aged 1 day to 26 year old were included. A HEB simplex was diagnosed in 10 cases, a junctional EBH in 5 cases and a dystrophic HEB in 6 cases. Immunofluorescence was requested in 4 cases. 7 patients benefited from a genetic analysis. Physical examination revealed hyperpigmented spots in 1 case. A patient with dystrophic HEB had a family history of symptoms restricted to the nails. 4 patients died. In conclusion, the accurate clinical diagnosis of the HEB sub-type is difficult because of the symptomatology heterogeneity. EM remains the gold standard for diagnosis even if immunofluorescence and genetic analysis should be more systematically considered.
Subject(s)
Epidermolysis Bullosa/pathology , Skin/ultrastructure , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Collagen Type VII/genetics , Epidermolysis Bullosa/genetics , Epidermolysis Bullosa/mortality , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Mutation , Retrospective Studies , Young AdultABSTRACT
We have previously shown that polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) harvested from children with cancer and exposed to chemotherapy exhibit defective bactericidal activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms as well as accelerated apoptosis. In this study, PMN from children with cancer were evaluated to compare in vitro the corrective effects of the two myeloid colony stimulating factors G-CSF and GM-CSF on these defective pathways. Both G-CSF and GM-CSF were able to increase the defective bactericidal activities against S. aureus and E. coli. However, GM-CSF was consistently superior to G-CSF in correcting PMN microbicidal activity; this correction was incomplete since it did not reach the level observed in normal PMN exposed to GM-CSF. The accelerated apoptosis of PMN was not affected by G-CSF. In contrast, GM-CSF significantly prolonged the survival of the PMN although it did not reach the level of survival observed with normal PMN exposed to GM-CSF. These observations were consistent with other studies indicating that in PMN, microbicidal activities and apoptosis are differentially sensitive to the myeloid growth factors G-CSF and GM-CSF.
