Nocardia brasiliensis infection seen on grafted skin of the dorsum of a foot.

For the past 4 years a 23 y-old female has noticed erythema on the dorsum of the right foot, where skin was grafted due to a traffic accident 20 years ago. She visited the Department of Dermatology of Gifu Prefectural Hospital on Oct. 19, 1998; her general health was good. Physical examination disclosed a swelling with erythema, papules and pustules on the dorsum of the right foot. The results of routine laboratory investigations were within normal limits except for the white blood cell count (11,300/mm(3)), blood sediment rate (25 mm/hrs), C reactive protein (1.21) and rheumatoid factor (x 16.6). Several yellowish and verrucous or wrinkled colonies were grown on Sabourauds agar culture from the biopsied specimen of the foot. Histopathological features showed epidermal hyperplasia with elongation of rete ridges and granulomatous changes in the dermis; many mononuclear and giant cells were present, and several positive fine filamentous and irregularly branching structures with PAS and Grocott stains were seen in the granulomatous nests. Both clinical and histopathological features led to speculation of Nocardia infection, and Nocardia brasiliensis was determined. The patient was treated by surgical total resection including the grafted skin. Although a soybean-sized nodule was seen on the border of the skin-graft of the foot three months later, there was no recurrence after the local resection.

Viabilidade de sangue conservado em recipientes de varias procedencias. / Viability of blood stored in recipients of different sources

Os autores estudaram os sangues contidos em recipientes de plastico e de vidro de cinco procedencias diferentes, utilizando para isto as determinacoes de 2-3-difosfoglicerato (2-3-DPG), adenosina trifosfato eritrocitaria (ATP), hemoglobina (Hb), latico desidrogenase (LDH), sodio e potassio plasmaticos, e pressao parcial sanguinea do oxigenio e do dioxido de carbono e pH sanguineo. Quanto ao 2-3-DPG e ATP, hemoglobina e LDH plasmatica e pH, houve paralelismo, mas houve leves diferencas nos demais parametros entre as diversas procedencias

Efeito da anfotericina B sobre a viabilidade eritrocitaria.Perspectiva do seu uso na prevencao da doenca de Chagas induzida pela transfusao de sangue. / Effect of amphothericin B on the erythrocyte viability. Perspective of its use in the prevention of Chagas' disease induced by blood transfusion

O efeito do antibiotico anfotericina B sobre o sangue armazenado em recipientes plasticos foi estudado. Foram determinados os parametros adenosina-trifosfato, 2-3-difosfoglicerato, pressao parcial de oxigenio, pressao parcial de dioxido de carbono, pH, hemoglobina e latico-desidrogenase plasmaticas e sodio e potassio plasmaticos. Leves diferencas foram notadas em relacao aos controles, mas houve significativo aumento do potassio e diminuicao do sodio nos recipientes com anfotericina B