ABSTRACT
Actinomycosis has been known to involve virtually every anatomic site in the body. Although actinomycosis has been identified in resected tonsils, its possible role in adeno-tonsillar disease has received little attention. A clinicopathological study of 302 patients who had adeno-tonsillar surgery is presented. Tonsillar actinomycosis was present in 86 (28.5%) patients. The statistical analysis revealed a significant association (P<0.0001) of actinomycosis and tonsillar hypertrophy (56.8%) compared to only 10.3% in the recurrent tonsillitis group. A statistically significant association (P<0.0001) of tonsillar actinomycosis and sickle cell anaemia, beta thalassaemia, bronchial asthma and beta haemolytic streptococcal infections was also seen. This data supports a predisposition of the above conditions to tonsillar actinomycosis and adeno-tonsillar hypertrophy and a possible etiopathologic role of this organism in adeno-tonsillar hypertrophy and disease. Although the clinical association of actinomycosis and tonsillar hypertrophy and beta haemolytic streptococcal infection has been described before the association of actinomycosis with sickle cell anaemia, beta thalassaemia and bronchial asthma is being observed for the first time in literature.
Subject(s)
Actinomycosis/pathology , Palatine Tonsil/pathology , Tonsillitis/pathology , Actinomyces , Actinomycosis/complications , Actinomycosis/microbiology , Actinomycosis/surgery , Adult , Anemia, Sickle Cell/complications , Asthma/complications , Child , Female , Humans , Hypertrophy , Male , Palatine Tonsil/microbiology , Tonsillectomy , Tonsillitis/complications , Tonsillitis/microbiology , Tonsillitis/surgery , beta-Thalassemia/complicationsABSTRACT
We report a case of life-threatening nasal sinus zygomycosis that developed during remission induction therapy for a relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The patient was successfully treated with liposomal amphotericin B and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor followed by surgical reconstruction of the resultant cutaneous defect.
Subject(s)
Absidia , Amphotericin B/therapeutic use , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Dermatomycoses/drug therapy , Mucormycosis/drug therapy , Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/complications , Sinusitis/drug therapy , Child , Dermatomycoses/complications , Humans , Male , Mucormycosis/complications , Sinusitis/complications , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Cerebrovascular accident is one of the most serious complications of sickle cell anemia. The specific factors that predispose patients with sickle cell anemia to stroke are increased disease severity, higher baseline white blood cell count and lower baseline hematocrits. Likewise the presence of a co-existent alpha thalassemia trait and/or high fetal hemoglobin (HbF%) may reduce the risk. We report a child with sickle cell anemia and marked adenotonsillar hypertrophy resulting in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. There was no other known risk factor for developing cerebrovascular accident in this child during her hospitalization for adenotonsillectomy.
