Subject(s)
Mycoses , Penicillium , AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/diagnosis , AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/drug therapy , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Mycoses/diagnosis , Mycoses/drug therapyABSTRACT
Chromoblastomycosis and mycetoma are chronic infections caused by the repeated traumatic inoculation of organisms into the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Chromoblastomycosis is caused by several dematiaceous (pigmented) fungi, occurs in tropical regions, and usually affects the lower extremities. The lesions may be nodules, plaques, or tumorous masses. Mycetomas are caused by either true fungi (eumycetes) or filamentous bacteria (actinomycetes); they also occur predominantly in tropical areas and most frequently affect the foot or leg. Typically there is a firm swelling with multiple sinus tracts that drain small granules. The treatment of these infections is difficult. Surgery, cryotherapy, heat therapy, and antimicrobial agents are used to treat chromoblastomycosis. Surgery and antimicrobial agents are used for treatment of mycetomas. This is the first report of concurrent infections caused by these agents.
Subject(s)
Chromoblastomycosis/complications , Mycetoma/complications , Nocardia Infections/complications , Back , Buttocks , Chromoblastomycosis/pathology , Chronic Disease , Forearm , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mitosporic Fungi , Mycetoma/pathology , Nocardia Infections/pathologySubject(s)
Amikacin/therapeutic use , Amoxicillin/therapeutic use , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Clavulanic Acids/therapeutic use , Mycetoma/drug therapy , Nocardia Infections/drug therapy , Sulfamethoxazole/therapeutic use , Trimethoprim/therapeutic use , Adult , Clavulanic Acid , Humans , Male , Mycetoma/microbiologySubject(s)
Tuberculosis, Cutaneous , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Skin/pathology , Tuberculosis, Cutaneous/pathologyABSTRACT
A case of subcutaneous cysticercosis is presented, and 35 other cases from the literature are reviewed. Patients usually have multiple subcutaneous nodules that are firm, mobile, and sometimes painful, occurring mainly on the trunk and extremities. Diagnosis is made by biopsy; however, radiologic and immunologic studies can be helpful in the diagnosis and work-up. Treatment options include surgery, praziquantel, and albendazole.
Subject(s)
Cysticercosis , Ectoparasitic Infestations , Adult , Animals , Cysticercosis/parasitology , Cysticercosis/pathology , Ectoparasitic Infestations/parasitology , Ectoparasitic Infestations/pathology , Female , Humans , Larva/isolation & purification , Taenia/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
Patients with Paget's disease of bone were found to have elevated serum levels of type I procollagen carboxyterminal peptide (pColl-I-C) which correlated with other measurements of disease activity. The elevated levels of pColl-I-C decreased within hours after the injection of salmon calcitonin and within weeks after oral dichloromethylene diphosphonate treatment. The decrease in serum pColl-I-C after a single injection of salmon calcitonin was associated with a decrease in urinary hydroxyproline excretion, both of which rose toward pretreatment values within 7 h. The pColl-I-C levels remained normal for months after dichloromethylene diphosphonate therapy was discontinued. Using a RIA for the type III procollagen amino-terminal peptide (pColl-III-N), it was found that serum levels were also elevated in patients with Paget's disease. The levels of pColl-III-N also decreased after the injection of salmon calcitonin, but not to the same extent as those of pColl-I-C. After chronic therapy with dichloromethylene diphosphonate, serum levels of pColl-III-N decreased, but not into the normal range. We postulate that whereas pColl-I-C is derived from synthesis of mineralized bone collagen, pColl-III-N is derived from the loose fibrous stroma replacing marrow in areas closely associated with active Pagetic bone disease.
