Causes of hypercalcemia in renal transplant recipients: persistent hyperparathyroidism and others.

Hypercalcemia is common in patients after kidney transplantation (KTx) and is associated with persistent hyperparathyroidism in the majority of cases. This retrospective, single-center study evaluated the prevalence of hypercalcemia after KTx. KTx recipients were evaluated for 7 years after receiving kidneys from living or deceased donors. A total of 301 patients were evaluated; 67 patients had hypercalcemia at some point during the follow-up period. The median follow-up time for all 67 patients was 62 months (44; 80). Overall, 45 cases of hypercalcemia were classified as related to persistent post-transplant hyperparathyroidism (group A), 16 were classified as "transient post-transplant hypercalcemia" (group B), and 3 had causes secondary to other diseases (1 related to tuberculosis, 1 related to histoplasmosis, and 1 related to lymphoma). The other 3 patients had hypercalcemia of unknown etiology, which is still under investigation. In group A, the onset of hypercalcemia after KTx was not significantly different from that of the other groups, but the median duration of hypercalcemia in group A was 25 months (12.5; 53), longer than in group B, where the median duration of hypercalcemia was only 12 months (10; 15) (P<0.002). The median parathyroid hormone blood levels around 12 months after KTx were 210 pg/mL (141; 352) in group A and 72.5 pg/mL (54; 95) in group B (P<0.0001). Hypercalcemia post-KTx is not infrequent and its prevalence in this center was 22.2%. Persistent hyperparathyroidism was the most frequent cause, but other important etiologies must not be forgotten, especially granulomatous diseases and malignancies.

Causes of hypercalcemia in renal transplant recipients: persistent hyperparathyroidism and others

Hypercalcemia is common in patients after kidney transplantation (KTx) and is associated with persistent hyperparathyroidism in the majority of cases. This retrospective, single-center study evaluated the prevalence of hypercalcemia after KTx. KTx recipients were evaluated for 7 years after receiving kidneys from living or deceased donors. A total of 301 patients were evaluated; 67 patients had hypercalcemia at some point during the follow-up period. The median follow-up time for all 67 patients was 62 months (44; 80). Overall, 45 cases of hypercalcemia were classified as related to persistent post-transplant hyperparathyroidism (group A), 16 were classified as "transient post-transplant hypercalcemia" (group B), and 3 had causes secondary to other diseases (1 related to tuberculosis, 1 related to histoplasmosis, and 1 related to lymphoma). The other 3 patients had hypercalcemia of unknown etiology, which is still under investigation. In group A, the onset of hypercalcemia after KTx was not significantly different from that of the other groups, but the median duration of hypercalcemia in group A was 25 months (12.5; 53), longer than in group B, where the median duration of hypercalcemia was only 12 months (10; 15) (P<0.002). The median parathyroid hormone blood levels around 12 months after KTx were 210 pg/mL (141; 352) in group A and 72.5 pg/mL (54; 95) in group B (P<0.0001). Hypercalcemia post-KTx is not infrequent and its prevalence in this center was 22.2%. Persistent hyperparathyroidism was the most frequent cause, but other important etiologies must not be forgotten, especially granulomatous diseases and malignancies.

Paracoccidioidomicosis perianal asociada a lepra lepromatosa: Presentación de un caso clínico / Perianal paracoccidioidomycosis associated with lepromatous leprosy: A clinical case report

Se presenta el caso de un paciente alcoholista con una ulceración perianal y manifestaciones cutáneas de enfermedad de Hansen. La biopsia de la lesión perianal y otros estudios arribaron al diagnóstico de una forma diseminada de paracoccidioidomicosis, así como también las biopsias cutáneas y los estudios baciloscópicos fueron diagnósticos de lepra lepromatosa. La respuesta a la terapéutica fue satisfactoria con desaparición de las lesiones cutáneas. La disminución de la respuesta inmunológica celular genera un terreno propicio para la infección de estos gérmenes y al compartir área endémica la asociación entre ambas patologías puede ocurrir.

Lepra and Paracoccidioidomycosis are endemic diseases in Argentina. We report a case of a patient with an unusual perianal ulceration and cutaneous manifestations of Hansen's disease. The biopsy of perianal lesion and subsequent studies revealed a disseminated form of paracoccidioidomycosis, as well as skin biopsy and baciloscopic finding diagnostic of Lepromatous Leprosy. The main portal of entry of paracoccidioides is the lung. Hematogenous dissemination of the fungus may occur at this time, with the establishment of metastatic foci in any organ. Anal and perianal lesions are present only in 1.3 to 2.4% of the patients. The pathogenesis of anal lesions remains unclear, it may be secondary from a systemic or a local disease. The patient response to the therapeutic was notable, with disappearance of lesions up to the third month of started itraconazole orally 400 mg/day leading just atrophy scars in perianal areas. The treatment of Hansen's disease was made according to OMS guidelines for multibacillary disease.

Úlcera de lengua como presentación del Histoplasma capsulatum / Tongue ulceration as a presentation of Histoplasma capsulatum infection

La histoplasmosis diseminada progresiva es una enfermedad que se manifiesta como reactivación de una infección latente en pacientes inmunodeprimidos, especialmente en personas con déficit en la inmunidad celular. Existen formas agudas, subagudas y crónicas. Las lesiones focales, en especial úlceras mucocutáneas, predominan en la forma diseminada crónica. Reportamos el caso de una paciente con artritis reumatoidea, que controlaba su patología con fármacos antirreumáticos modificadores de la enfermedad (DMARD), la que consultó por úlcera de lengua como única manifestación de una histoplasmosis diseminada crónica. La histopatología fue compatible y el cultivo positivo para Histoplasma capsulatum. La serología para el HIV fue negativa. Existen pocos casos publicados de pacientes con esta localización atípica en forma aislada, en particular aquellos HIV negativos. El itraconazol y la anfotericina B son las dos drogas más utilizadas para tratar esta enfermedad. Los datos clínicos sobre los nuevos azoles, voriconazol y posaconazol son limitados.

The progressive disseminated histoplasmosis is a disease produced by reactivation of latent infection in immunocompromised host, specially in persons with defective cell-mediated immunity. There are acute, subacute and chronic forms in the progressive illness. Focal lesions, specially mucocutaneous ulcers, are most frequent in the chronic disseminated forms. We reported a patient with rheumatoid arthritis treated with disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD), with an ulcer of the tongue as only clinical manifestation of a chronic disseminated histoplasmosis. The histopathology was compatible, and the culture was positive for Histoplasma capsulatum. The serology for the HIV was negative. There are few published cases of this isolated form, particularly in patients with HIV negative serological test. Itraconazole and amphotericin B are the most frequently drugs used for the treatment in this disease. Clinical data on the new azoles, voriconazole and posaconazole, are limited.

[Evaluation of cefoxitin and cefotaxime screening plates for the detection of methicillin-resistance in Staphylococcus aureus]. / Evaluación de placas de screening de cefoxitina y cefotaxima para la detección de resistencia a meticilina en Staphylococcus aureus.

Detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates represents a serious problem to low and media level microbiology labs. In this work cefoxitin (FOX) and cefotaxime (CTX) screen plates (AS) (8-16 microg/ml) with and without 4% of NaCl were evaluated to detect MRSA. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were determined. The AS oxacillin and the agglutination test MRSA-Screen Latex for the detection of PLP2a were used as reference methods for the evaluation of the different studied screening plates. The 100% (94 strains) PLP2a positive were detected as MRSA with FOX (8 microg/ml), and CTX (8 microg/ml with 4% NaCl) AS. The advantage of FOX AS (8 microg/ml) is that it does not need the addition of NaCl, and CTX AS (8 microg/ml with 4% NaCl) is that cefotaxime is an antimicrobial easily accessible in our country.

[Etiological agents of dermatomycoses isolated in a hospital of Santa Fe City, Argentina]. / Agentes etiológicos de micosis superficiales aislados en un hospital de Santa Fe, Argentina.

Superficial mycoses are limited to skin, hair, nails and mucous membranes. The most common etiological agents are dermatophytes and yeasts of Candida genus. The aim of this work was to know the etiological agents of dermatomycoses and their clinical presentation. Were analized 2073 samples of skin, hair, nails, and oral mucous membranes obtained from 1817 patients who attended the Microbiology Branch of the Central Laboratory at Dr. J. M. Cullen Hospital, since September 1999 to September 2003. The samples were examined and identified according to the localization and type of lesion. Out of the total samples 55.67% were positive; 63% were recovered from females, and 37% from males. The most common localization was the skin. Trichophyton rubrum was the most frequent dermatophyte, and among yeasts, Candida albicans was the prevalent species. Fourteen non-dermatophytic fungi (Fusarium spp. and Aspergillus spp.) were isolated, and considered emergent pathogens from superficial mycoses.

[Phaeohyphomicosis by Wangiella dermatitidis in Republic Argentine.]. / Feohifomicosis producida por Wangiella dermatitidis en la República Argentina.

We are presenting the case of a 54 year-old woman, who had a kidney transplant. She came to our laboratory to consult for two cutaneous lesions: a cystic one at the back of her right leg and one localized on dorsum of left forearm. Biopsies of both lesions were performed for a histopathologic study as well as microbiological (both bacteriologic and mycologic) cultures. The histopathologic study showed a lesion compatible with a B type cutaneous lymphoma in the lesion in her leg, while in the mycologic study of the cystic lesion elements compatible with phaeohyphomycosis were observed. Development of Wangiella dermatitidis was obtained in the cultures. The cystic lesion localized on forearm was completely removed by surgery, while the lesion in the leg received oncological treatment. The aim of this paper is to describe the first published case of phaeohyphomycosis, by W. dermatitidis, in the Argentine Republic.