[Multicystic encephalomalacia in a surviving twin after death of the other twin in utero]. / Encéphalomalacie multikystique chez un jumeau survivant après décès d'un jumeau in utero.

A case of multicystic encephalomalacia in a twin is reported. The other twin died in utero at 32 weeks gestational age. Because there was no evidence of fetal distress the pregnancy was allowed to continue until 36 weeks gestational age. Injuries to the surviving twin due to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIVC) and vascular thrombosis or to anoxia and ischemia may occur when there are anastomoses between the circulatory systems of the two twins, i.e., in monochorionic pregnancies. The classically recommended strategy is to wait for adequate maturity of the surviving fetus (36 weeks). It is suggested that this attitude may be overly expectant and may deserve reappraisal.

Nosocomial outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni meningitis in newborn infants.

In a nosocomial outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni infection 11 newborn infants (7 female, 4 male) had meningitis. The outbreak was caused by a single strain of C jejuni, as demonstrated by biotyping (biotype I), serotyping (LAU 7/PEN 18 on heat-stable antigens, a new serotype on heat-labile antigens), and the identical susceptibility pattern and outer-membrane-protein profile on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Specific antibodies against the outbreak strain (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot) developed in all the babies. They were treated with gentamicin and ampicillin. All but one baby, who had a moderately dilated left lateral ventricle after the meningitis, recovered well. The source of infection could not be clearly determined. Thus, C jejuni can cause serious nosocomial infection; it should be considered as a possible agent of meningitis of unknown origin, particularly in newborn infants and other compromised hosts.

[Iron chelate treatment of hereditary sideroblastic anemia complicated by hemochromatosis]. / Traitement chélateur du fer dans l'anémie sidéroblastique héréditaire compliquée d'hémochromatose.

In a child with sideroblastic anemia complicated with hemochromatosis, iron overload was successfully treated with slow subcutaneous perfusion of deferoxamine. A 28 month-treatment resulted in the inversion of iron balance, which became negative, and the normalization of serum ferritin and abdominal CT scan. These results indicate that deferoxamine perfusion 12/24 hrs is able to restrict or even to remove the iron overload, previously responsible for hemochromatosis, a factor of mortality in this disease.

[Simultaneous discovery of a malignant histiocytosis in a newborn and a preleukemic syndrome in his mother (author's transl)]. / Découverte simultanée d'une hémopathie maligne chez un nouveau-né et d'un syndrome préleucémique chez la mère.

A malignant histiocytosis in a newborn was found at the same time than a preleukemic syndrome in his mother (less than 10% myeloblasts with Auer rods). An overt myeloblastic leukemia occurs in the mother in the next four months. This uncommon association was presented and discussed.