[Acute toxoplasmosis: clinical and laboratory data in eleven patients]. / Toxoplasmosis aguda: datos clínicos y de laboratorio en 11 pacientes.

INTRODUCTION: The clinical and laboratory data of immunocompetent patients with acute toxoplasmosis (AT) are described. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of patients with AT attended between 1996 and 2004. Diagnostic criteria consisted of compatible clinical findings (generalized and cervical lymphadenopathies) and specific serology against Toxoplasma gondii (high IgG and IgM and/or reactive IgA). IgG and IgM determinations were performed by ELFA and IgA determinations by ELISA. IgM-CMV, heterophil antibodies, hemogram, hepatic chemistry were also determined and funduscopic examination was performed. RESULTS: Eleven immunocompetent patients with AT were evaluated. The mean age was 8.8 years (95 % CI: 3.6-12.9). The patients were evaluated between the first and the third month after symptom onset. Of the 11 patients, hard elastic lymphadenopathies were found in 10, single cervical lymphadenectomy in three and generalized lymphadenectomy in seven. One patient showed no symptoms. In one patient, nodal histology showed the Piringer-Kuchinka triad. None of the patients showed alterations in the hemogram, hepatic chemistry or funduscopic examination. The mean IgG value was 4.143 UI/ml (95 % CI: 2.570 and 5.717). IgM was reactive in nine of the 11 patients (81.8 %) and IgA in seven out of 10 patients (70 %). In all patients, at least one of these two immunoglobulins was reactive. In all patients, clinical outcome was favorable without parasiticide treatment. CONCLUSION: Except for one asymptomatic patient, all the patients had generalized lymphadenopathies and only 27.2 % showed cervical lymphadenopathies. A negative IgM or IgA result does not rule out a diagnosis of AT. Parasiticide treatment is unnecessary in this entity. Acute toxoplasmosis should be considered early in children with lymphadenopathies to avoid invasive procedures.

Toxoplasmosis aguda: datos clínicos y de laboratorio en 11 pacientes / Acute toxoplasmosis: clinical and laboratory data in eleven patients

Introducción Se describen la clínica y el laboratorio de pacientes inmunocompetentes con toxoplasmosis aguda (TA). Pacientes y métodos Se trata de un estudio retrospectivo de pacientes con TA asistidos entre 1996 y 2004. Criterios diagnósticos: clínica compatible (adenopatías generalizadas o cervicales) y serología específica contra Toxoplasma gondii (IgG elevada e IgM y/o IgA reactiva). La determinación de IgG e IgM se realizó por ELFA, las IgA por ELISA. Se realizó IgM-CMV, anticuerpos heterófilos, hemograma, hepatograma y fundoscopia. Resultados Se evaluaron 11 pacientes inmunocompetentes con TA, edad media: 8,8 años (intervalo de confianza del 95 % [IC 95 %]: 3,6-12,9). Concurrieron entre 1 y 3 meses del inicio de los síntomas. En 10/11 se hallaron adenopatías elásticas, cervicales únicas en tres y generalizadas en siete. Un paciente fue asintomático. La histología del ganglio de un paciente presentó la tríada de Piringer-Kuchinka. Ninguno presentó alteraciones del hemograma, hepatograma y del fondo de ojo. La media de la IgG: 4,143 U/ml (IC 95 %: 2,570-5,717). La IgM se detectó en 9/11 (81,8 %), la IgA en 7/10 (70 %). Todos los pacientes presentaron al menos una de estas dos inmunoglobulinas reactivas. La evolución clínica fue favorable sin tratamiento parasiticida. Conclusión Excepto un paciente asintomático, todos presentaron adenopatías generalizadas y sólo el 27,2 % cervicales. Un resultado negativo de IgM o IgA no descarta el diagnóstico. El tratamiento parasiticida es innecesario en esta patología. Es importante pensar tempranamente en esta etiología en niños con adenopatías, esto ahorraría procedimientos invasivos

Introduction The clinical and laboratory data of immunocompetent patients with acute toxoplasmosis (AT) are described. Patients and methods We performed a retrospective study of patients with AT attended between 1996 and 2004. Diagnostic criteria consisted of compatible clinical findings (generalized and cervical lymphadenopathies) and specific serology against Toxoplasma gondii (high IgG and IgM and/or reactive IgA). IgG and IgM determinations were performed by ELFA and IgA determinations by ELISA. IgM-CMV, heterophil antibodies, hemogram, hepatic chemistry were also determined and funduscopic examination was performed. Results Eleven immunocompetent patients with AT were evaluated. The mean age was 8.8 years (95 % CI: 3.6-12.9). The patients were evaluated between the first and the third month after symptom onset. Of the 11 patients, hard elastic lymphadenopathies were found in 10, single cervical lymphadenectomy in three and generalized lymphadenectomy in seven. One patient showed no symptoms. In one patient, nodal histology showed the Piringer-Kuchinka triad. None of the patients showed alterations in the hemogram, hepatic chemistry or funduscopic examination. The mean IgG value was 4.143 UI/ml (95 % CI: 2.570 and 5.717). IgM was reactive in nine of the 11 patients (81.8 %) and IgA in seven out of 10 patients (70 %). In all patients, at least one of these two immunoglobulins was reactive. In all patients, clinical outcome was favorable without parasiticide treatment. Conclusion Except for one asymptomatic patient, all the patients had generalized lymphadenopathies and only 27.2 % showed cervical lymphadenopathies. A negative IgM or IgA result does not rule out a diagnosis of AT. Parasiticide treatment is unnecessary in this entity. Acute toxoplasmosis should be considered early in children with lymphadenopathies to avoid invasive procedures

[Congenital Chagas disease: experience in the Hospital de Niños, Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina]. / Enfermedad de Chagas congenita: experiencia del Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic data from children who were born to mothers infected with T. cruzi who came to our hospital are presented. In addition, we exhibit the preliminary results of a technique that detects the anti F2/3 antibodies: these would be able to confirm the cure earlier than conventional serology. We also show the results of PCR diagnosis. Most of the mothers (76,1%) resided in Argentina, the rest were from Bolivia and Paraguay The median average age at diagnosis of the patients was 8,5 months (range 15 days-10 years). Out of 168 children, 64,98% were asymptomatic at diagnosis. The diagnosis criteria were: T. cruzi observation by microhematocrit technique in patients less than 7 month old. Two reactive serological tests in patients older than 8 months. A nifurtimox dose used in these patients was 10-13 mg/kg/d during 60 days. Although 31% presented side effects, none of them had to be dropped from the treatment. Cure criteria was conventional serology negativization. Of the patient population, we cured 87,2% of them, 98% of those under 3 years, and 100% of those who received treatment before age 8 months. We compared the time of negativization between conventional serology and anti F2/3 in 21 children. The latter were very useful to demonstrate (p>0,001) the success of the treatment, in those that started treatment after 8 months of age. PCR testing of a group of all patients, showed a diagnostic sensibility of 80,3% and a specificity of 97,8%.

Enfermedad de Chagas congenita: experiencia del Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina / Congenital Chagas disease: experience in the Hospital de Niños, Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic data from children who were born to mothers infected with T. cruzi who came to our hospital are presented. In addition, we exhibit the preliminary results of a technique that detects the anti F2/3 antibodies: these would be able to confirm the cure earlier than conventional serology. We also show the results of PCR diagnosis. Most of the mothers (76,1%) resided in Argentina, the rest were from Bolivia and Paraguay The median average age at diagnosis of the patients was 8,5 months (range 15 days-10 years). Out of 168 children, 64,98% were asymptomatic at diagnosis. The diagnosis criteria were: T. cruzi observation by microhematocrit technique in patients less than 7 month old. Two reactive serological tests in patients older than 8 months. A nifurtimox dose used in these patients was 10-13 mg/kg/d during 60 days. Although 31% presented side effects, none of them had to be dropped from the treatment. Cure criteria was conventional serology negativization. Of the patient population, we cured 87,2% of them, 98% of those under 3 years, and 100% of those who received treatment before age 8 months. We compared the time of negativization between conventional serology and anti F2/3 in 21 children. The latter were very useful to demonstrate (p>0,001) the success of the treatment, in those that started treatment after 8 months of age. PCR testing of a group of all patients, showed a diagnostic sensibility of 80,3% and a specificity of 97,8%.

Seminal quality correlates with mitochondrial functionality.

Oligozoospermia is an important manifestation of male subfertility and very little attention has been paid to study a possible relationship between the total number of ejaculated spermatozoa and mitochondrial functionality. In this work we report a direct correlation between spectrophotometrically measured mitochondrial enzyme activities (citrate synthase and respiratory complex I, II, I+III, II+III and IV) and seminogram parameters (sperm motility, vitality and cell concentration). In addition, total ejaculated spermatozoa correlate much better with the nuclear-encoded citrate synthase and complex II than with the mitochondrial-encoded complex I, III and IV activities. Furthermore, total number of spermatozoa has a significant but negative correlation with the ratios of complex I, complex III and complex IV to complex II (and citrate synthase). These ratios are significantly higher in aged subjects emphasizing the physiological relevance of this observation. These results suggest that the simultaneous increase of the number of ejaculated spermatozoa and the mitochondrial enrichment of citrate synthase and complex II are both parallel responses to the same regulatory events.

Human mtDNA haplogroups associated with high or reduced spermatozoa motility.

A variety of mtDNA mutations responsible for human diseases have been associated with molecular defects in the OXPHOS system. It has been proposed that mtDNA genetic alterations can also be responsible for sperm dysfunction. In addition, it was suggested that if sperm dysfunction is the main phenotypic consequence, these mutations could be fixed as stable mtDNA variants, because mtDNA is maternally inherited. To test this possibility, we have performed an extensive analysis of the distribution of mtDNA haplogroups in white men having fertility problems. We have found that asthenozoospermia, but not oligozoospermia, is associated with mtDNA haplogroups in whites. Thus, haplogroups H and T are significantly more abundant in nonasthenozoospermic and asthenozoospermic populations, respectively, and show significant differences in their OXPHOS performance.

Effect of ordering on spinodal decomposition of liquid-crystal/polymer mixtures.

Partially phase-separated liquid-crystal/polymer dispersions display highly fibrillar domain morphologies that are dramatically different from the typical structures found in isotropic mixtures. To explain this, we numerically explore the coupling between phase ordering and phase-separation kinetics in model two-dimensional fluid mixtures phase separating into a nematic phase, rich in liquid crystal, coexisting with an isotropic phase, rich in polymer. We find that phase ordering can lead to fibrillar networks of the minority polymer-rich phase.

Correlation of sperm motility with mitochondrial enzymatic activities.

Until now, little attention has been paid to the contribution of mitochondrial dysfunction to germinal tissue disorders. The target of this study was to investigate the relationship between sperm motility and mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme activities. The results obtained showed that semen samples of control individuals (n = 33) have substantially higher activities of complexes I, II, and IV compared with those of asthenozoospermic subjects (n = 86). Moreover, a direct and positive correlation was found in the whole population studied between spermatozoa motility and all the mitochondrial respiratory complex activities assayed (I, II, I+III, II+III, and IV). The ratio of these enzymes to citrate synthase (a reliable enzymatic marker of mitochondrial volume) activities did not correlate with sperm motility. This suggests that motility depends largely on the mitochondrial volume within the sperm midpiece. These observations could be of physiopathological relevance because they suggest that factors affecting the mitochondrial energy production could be then responsible for particular cases of idiopathic asthenozoospermia.

Low-risk human papillomavirus types 6 and 11 associated with carcinomas of the genital and upper aero-digestive tract.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPVs) types 6 and 11, are frequently found in non-malignant anogenital condylomas and laryngeal papillomas. However, in an ongoing epidemiological study in Argentina in which 163 anogenital and aero-respiratory cancer biopsies were analyzed, several cases infected with low-risk HPVs could be detected. METHODS: Tumor samples were analyzed by Southern blot hybridization, using HPVs 6, 11, 16, 18, 30, 31, 33 and 35 as probes, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with type-specific primers and probes. RESULTS: Four invasive carcinomas containing HPV 6 or 11 could be detected (2.4%) by Southern blot technique. HPV 6 DNA was found in a penile carcinoma, a groin carcinoma, and in a tonsillar carcinoma. One cervical carcinoma harbored HPV 11 DNA. Using HPVs 6, 11, 16, 18 and 33 anticontamination primers and probes in PCR, no additional high-risk HPV types could be detected in these four cancers. CONCLUSION: This report shows the presence of low-risk HPVs (HPV 6 and 11) associated to malignant tumors in a frequency higher than usually observed. The data raise questions about which are the circumstances which may favor low-risk HPV related oncogenesis.