ABSTRACT
In Morquio's disease and in hereditary spondylo-epiphyseal dysplasia of longer duration, malalignment, instability and unfavourable anatomy are generally the main surgical problems, but as these patients nowadays do not have a reduced life expectancy, it is worthwhile giving them a functional replacement for their severely deformed and painful knees. We report three patients with inherited dwarfism, in whom a replacement of the knee was performed.
Subject(s)
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee , Mucopolysaccharidosis IV/surgery , Osteochondrodysplasias/surgery , Adult , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mucopolysaccharidosis IV/diagnostic imaging , Osteochondrodysplasias/diagnostic imaging , Radiography , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Toxocara seroprevalence and the relation between Toxocara seroprevalence and allergic asthma were investigated in Dutch schoolchildren aged 4-6 years. Data on Toxocara antibodies, allergen-specific immunoglobulin E, allergic manifestations, and risk factors (pets and playgrounds) were obtained from 235 children from The Hague and 477 from Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The surveys were carried out from September 1987 to January 1988 in The Hague and in March and April 1989 in Rotterdam. Logistic regression was used to evaluate putative relations. Toxocara seroprevalence was higher in The Hague (11%) than in Rotterdam (6%), but this difference was not quite significant. Seroprevalences varied widely among schools. No differences between socioeconomic categories or between the sexes were found. Occurrences of asthma/recurrent bronchitis and hospitalization due to asthma/recurrent bronchitis were significantly associated with seroprevalence. Furthermore, a marginally significant relation with eczema was found. Immunoglobulin E specific for inhaled allergens occurred significantly more often in the Toxocara-seropositive group. The risk factors investigated were not related to seroprevalence. It is suggested that Toxocara, among other environmental factors, may stimulate polyclonally immunoglobulin E production, including allergen-specific immunoglobulin E, and thus may contribute to the manifestation of allergic asthma and possibly of eczema in children predisposed to allergy.
Subject(s)
Asthma/etiology , Toxocariasis/epidemiology , Animals , Antibodies, Helminth/analysis , Asthma/epidemiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Immunoglobulin E/analysis , Male , Netherlands/epidemiology , Prevalence , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Toxocara/immunologyABSTRACT
A group of 234 pupils aged 3-6 years in the city of The Hague was examined for Toxocara seropositivity using the ELISA in the period September 1987 to January 1988. The average seroprevalence of 11,0% was higher than the result of a comparable Dutch investigation (7,1%) in 1976.
Subject(s)
Toxocariasis/epidemiology , Animals , Child , Child, Preschool , Dogs , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Humans , Male , Netherlands/epidemiology , Prevalence , Socioeconomic Factors , Toxocara/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
We have investigated 234 children (3-6 years of age) in The Hague, The Netherlands, for the presence of antibodies against Toxocara. Of these children 26 (11.1%) were seropositive to Toxocara. Cross-reactions with antibodies against Ascaris could be excluded. Of the seropositive children 31% had asthma or bronchitis, while this percentage was only 12% for the seronegative children. This might indicate that toxocariasis causes asthma or bronchitis in some children. If further investigations corroborate this hypothesis, one has to conclude that preventing human toxocariasis contributed to prevent a number of cases of asthma and bronchitis.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Helminth/analysis , Toxocara/immunology , Animals , Ascaris/immunology , Child , Child, Preschool , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Humans , Lung Diseases, Obstructive/epidemiology , Lung Diseases, Obstructive/etiology , Netherlands/epidemiology , Respiratory Tract Diseases/epidemiology , Sampling Studies , Toxocariasis/complicationsABSTRACT
Two sisters and one brother, all with normal intelligence and no evidence of neurological abnormality, present progressive spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, stunted growth, corneal opacities, and increased keratansulfaturia. Cultured skin fibroblasts from one of the children showed a remarkable deficiency of acid beta-galactosidase in association with normal activities of N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase and sialidase. Acid beta-galactosidase was also deficient in leukocytes of two children. Leukocytes of the parents exhibited intermediate activities, which suggests the primary nature of beta-galactosidase deficiency. Patients with MPS IV-B may be severely affected.
Subject(s)
Lactose Intolerance/genetics , Mucopolysaccharidosis IV/genetics , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Female , Galactose/urine , Glucuronidase/blood , Glycosaminoglycans/urine , Humans , Lactose Intolerance/pathology , Lactose Intolerance/urine , Leukocytes/enzymology , Lysosomes/enzymology , Male , Mucopolysaccharidosis IV/pathology , Mucopolysaccharidosis IV/urine , Neuraminidase/blood , Oligosaccharides/urine , beta-Galactosidase/bloodABSTRACT
This paper describes radiological characteristics of the skeleton in a patient suffering from type II fucosidosis. The early symptom of anterior beaking of the vertebral bodies, in combination with mental retardation and angiokeratoma corporis diffusum, can suggest the possibility of type II fucosidosis.
