Flow Cytometric Evaluation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell Immune Response in SPF Chickens Induced by Fowlpox Vaccine.

Fowlpox (FP) is a viral disease that is widely distributed throughout the world. The disease has an economic impact on the poultry industry, and its prevalence has even been reported in vaccinated flocks. The present study used flow cytometry to evaluate the CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell immune response of chicks induced by FP vaccine. 120 specific pathogen-free (SPF) 21-day-old chicks were randomly divided into three groups of 40. One group was used as negative control with PBS inoculation, the other two groups were inoculated with the local fowlpox vaccine produced by Razi Institute and commercial FP vaccines, and they were kept for five weeks. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated using Ficoll-Hypaque density gradients and the percentages of CD3+, CD3+, CD4+, and CD3+CD8+ T lymphocytes were analyzed with flow cytometry. Seven days post-immunization, a maximum (90-100%) swelling formation ("take") on the vaccination site was observed. The ratios of CD4+ to CD8+ T-lymphocytes in both vaccinated groups were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the control group inoculated with PBS. The percentages of CD3+, CD3+CD4+, and CD3+CD8+ T-lymphocytes were increased in chickens vaccinated with commercial and local FP vaccines. There were no significant differences between the groups receiving commercial and local fowl pox vaccines. The present study showed that protective immunity could be associated with increased cellular immune responses, which has been interpreted as enhancing T-cell proliferation and increasing CD4+ to CD8+ ratios through vaccination with the FP vaccine. This study further suggests that the induction of enhanced immune responses is due mainly to the Th1-type response.

Skin metastasis from an occult esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Metastases to the skin from carcinoma arising in other organs are uncommon, yet they may be the first presentation of neoplastic disease. They usually originate from primary tumours in the breast, lung or colon. Skin metastases from esophageal adenocarcinoma are extremely rare. A unique case of an otherwise healthy patient who presented with a small, painless, mobile, clinically localized facial skin nodule is reported. A biopsy revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma, and subsequent investigations detected the primary tumour in the esophagus, despite no symptoms.

TNM classification and breast cancer in an African population: a descriptive study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the stage of female breast cancer in an African population at presentation by using the TNM classification of the International Union Contra Cancer (UICC). DESIGN: A descriptive study. SETTING: Hospital based investigation. SUBJECTS: All 50 female patients with breast carcinoma admitted between March and October 1996 to the surgery wards at the Muhimbili Medical Centre, the largest referral centre in Tanzania were studied for the stage of the disease at presentation. RESULTS: A total of 50 cases were recruited in this study. There was not a single case in Stage I. In Stage II there was only one case (T2 N0, n = 1). There were seven cases in Stage IIIA (T3 N0, n = 5; T1 N2, n = 1; T3 N2, n = 1) while in Stage IIIB there were 37 cases (T3 N3, n = 1; T4 N1, n = 27; T4 N2, n = 9). There were five cases in Stage IV (M1, n = 5). Histological analysis revealed all tumours were infiltrating duct carcinoma. Metastatic disease (Stage IV) was observed only in patients aged above 50 years. CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer presents predominantly as a locally advanced disease, with virtual absence of early disease. A majority of the patients are premenopausal in an African population. Self breast examination (SBE) including other strategies suggested earlier are recommended to aid in early detection of breast cancer.

Distribution of nodules in thyroid lobes.

Frequency of berign nodules in each lobes of the thyroid gland was determined in 214 consecutive patients who underwent thyroid operation. All cases had thyroid scintiscans. The right lobe was involved two times more than the left. In order to determine if this higher frequency was related to the naturally-occurring greater mass of the right lobe, fifteen normal thyroid glands from consecutive autopsy cases were bisected into halves and the weight of the two segments were compared. Although in 13 glands the right lobe was the larger one, the average weight difference was only seven percent.