Rhinosporidiosis: the largest case series in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic infection of the mucous membrane and is caused by Rhinosporidium seeberi, an aquatic mesomycetozoan. The mode of infection is probably transepithelial penetration. The large number of rivers and lakes and the strong presence of riparian populations in the State of Maranhão are strong predisposing factors for rhinosporidiosis. METHODS: A 5-year retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary medical center situated in Maranhão, Northeast Brazil. Twenty-five Maranhense patients diagnosed with rhinosporidiosis were analyzed. RESULTS: Most of the patients were children, adolescents and young adults (age range: 7-24 years, mean age: 14 years). The majority of the participants were male (84%), brown (76%), and students (92%). All lesions involved the entire nasal cavity and presented with a vascular polypoid mass. All patients were treated by surgical excision of the lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Rhinosporidiosis affects younger age groups, especially students from the countryside and the outskirts of urban areas. This study will aid and guide physicians in diagnosing and treating this infection in endemic areas.

Rhinosporidiosis: the largest case series in Brazil

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Rhinosporidiosis is a chronic infection of the mucous membrane and is caused by Rhinosporidium seeberi, an aquatic mesomycetozoan. The mode of infection is probably transepithelial penetration. The large number of rivers and lakes and the strong presence of riparian populations in the State of Maranhão are strong predisposing factors for rhinosporidiosis. METHODS: A 5-year retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary medical center situated in Maranhão, Northeast Brazil. Twenty-five Maranhense patients diagnosed with rhinosporidiosis were analyzed. RESULTS: Most of the patients were children, adolescents and young adults (age range: 7-24 years, mean age: 14 years). The majority of the participants were male (84%), brown (76%), and students (92%). All lesions involved the entire nasal cavity and presented with a vascular polypoid mass. All patients were treated by surgical excision of the lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Rhinosporidiosis affects younger age groups, especially students from the countryside and the outskirts of urban areas. This study will aid and guide physicians in diagnosing and treating this infection in endemic areas.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus in penile malignant tumors: viral genotyping and clinical aspects.

BACKGROUND: The human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence in males has been reported to be between 3.6% and 84%, depending specially on the socioeconomic status. HPV infection has been related as a risk factor for penile cancer. This is a rare tumor, and other risk factors include lack of personal hygiene and men who have not undergone circumcision. Penile cancer is less than 1% of cancers in men in the United States, however, is much more common in some parts of Asia, Africa, and South America, where it accounts for up to 10% of cancers in men. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HPV-DNA in penile cancers in São Luís, Brazil and to correlate the virus presence to histopathological factors. METHODS: Tumor paraffin samples of 76 patients with penile carcinoma were tested in order to establish the prevalence and distribution of genotypic HPV using PCR/Nested and automated sequencing. To evaluate the association between HPV types and other clinical and morphological variables, a nonparametric ANOVA was performed using a Kruskal Wallis test, and statistical significance was determined to a value of p < 0.05. RESULTS: The average age of patients at the time of diagnosis was 66 years ± 17.10. Regarding location, 65.79% of the tumors were located in the glans, and the most common types were vegetative (34.21%) and squamous (98.68%). Most of the lesions ranged in size from 2.1 to 5.0 cm, presenting Jackson I stage and Broders II degree. It was observed that 32 patients had at least one invaded and/or infiltrated structure. Lymph node involvement was observed in 19.76% of the patients, and 21.05% showed an inflammatory process. In the molecular evaluation, HPV infection was observed in 63.15% of the lesions, and the most common type was HPV 16. CONCLUSIONS: From the statistical analysis, it can be verified that the variables were not associated with infection by the HPV virus. Although penile cancer can result from various risk factors that act in synergy, an HPV virus infection is important for the development of such neoplasm.

Immunopathological aspects of schistosomiasis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary hypertension is a lethal complication of chronic hepatosplenic schistosomiasis. Little is known of the underlying (immuno-)histopathological characteristics of lung vasculopathy. METHODS: We characterized vasculopathy and inflammation in lung tissue of 10 patients with Schistosomiasis-associated PH (SCH-PH) in comparison to 22 idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) patients and 10 normal controls. SCH-PH cases were younger than controls. RESULTS: Plexiform lesions and/or angiomatoid lesions were found in 10/10 SCH-PH, and 19/22 IPAH patients (χ² p = 0.22). Lung granulomas with Schistosoma eggs were found in 2/10 of SCH-PH cases. PAH cases had increased peri-arterial density of CD3+ T cells, chymase+ and tryptase+ mast cells when compared to controls (p ≤ 0.047). SCH-PH showed increased density of CD4+ cells when compared to controls (p = 0.025), paralleled by an increased density of dendritic CD83+ cells when compared to both controls and IPAH patients (p ≤ 0.022). CONCLUSION: Both SCH-PH and IPAH feature plexogenic arteriopathy and increased periarterial T cell and mast cell density. SCH-PH and IPAH differ only with respect to the density of dendritic CD83+ cells. These findings imply ongoing antigenic stimulation in SCH-PH, yet a pattern of pulmonary vasculopathy similar to IPAH, suggestive of a final common pathway in their pathogenesis of PAH.

Small airway remodeling in idiopathic interstitial pneumonias: a pathological study.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have addressed small airway (SA) histopathological changes and their possible role in the remodeling process in idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. OBJECTIVES: To study morphological, morphometrical and immunohistochemical features of SA in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (usual interstitial pneumonia, UIP) and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP). METHODS: We analyzed SA pathology in lung biopsies from 29 patients with UIP and 8 with NSIP. Biopsies were compared with lung tissue from 13 patients with constrictive bronchiolitis (CB) as positive controls and 10 normal autopsied control lungs. We semi-quantitatively analyzed SA structure, inflammation, architectural features and the bronchiolar epithelial immunohistochemical expression of TGF-beta, MMP-2, 7, 9, and their tissue inhibitors (TIMP-1, 2). RESULTS: Compared to controls, patients with UIP, NSIP and CB presented increased bronchiolar inflammation, peribronchiolar inflammation and fibrosis and decreased luminal areas. UIP patients had thicker walls due to an increase in most airway compartments. NSIP patients presented increased epithelial areas, whereas patients with CB had larger inner wall areas. All of the groups studied presented increased bronchiolar expression of MMP-7 and MMP-9, compared to the controls. CONCLUSION: We conclude that SAs are pathologically altered and may take part in the lung-remodeling process in idiopathic interstitial pneumonias.

Remodelamento das pequenas vias aéreas nas pneumonias intersticiais idiopáticas / Aspects of psychosexuality and personality of maleto- female and female-to-male transsexuals evaluated by Szondi projetive test

Introdução: Poucos estudos têm sido direcionados às mudanças histopatológicas nas pequenas vias áreas e seu possível papel no processo de remodelamento, nas pneumonias intersticiais idiopáticas. Objetivos: Estudar aspectos morfológicos, morfométricos e de imunohistoquímica das pequenas via aéreas na Fibrose Pulmonar Idiopática/ Pneumonia Intersticial Usual (FPI/ UIP) e Pneumonia Intersticial Não-específica (NSIP). Métodos: Foram estudadas as pequenas vias aéreas em biópsias pulmonares de 29 pacientes com FPI/ UIP e 08 com NSIP. As biópsias foram comparadas com 13 pacientes com Bronquiolite Constritiva Crônica (BC) - como controle positivo - e 10 pulmões controles normais de autópsia. Foram analisados semi e quantitativamente aspectos arquiteturais, inflamatórios, estruturais das vias aéreas, além da expressão de TGF-β, MMP -2, -7, -9, e seus inibidores (TIMP-1, -2). Resultados: Comparados com os controles, pacientes com FPI/ UIP, NSIP e BC apresentaram inflamação bronquiolar, inflamação e fibrose peribronquiolar aumentadas e áreas luminais diminuídas. Pacientes com FPI/ UIP tiveram paredes das vias aéreas mais espessadas, devido ao aumento de todos os compartimentos. Pacientes com NSIP apresentaram área do epitélio aumentada, enquanto pacientes com BC tiveram maior lâmina própria. Todos os grupos estudados demonstraram expressão epitelial bronquiolar aumentada de MMP-7 e -9 comparados ao controle. Conclusão: As pequenas vias aéreas são patologicamente alteradas e podem fazer parte do processo de remodelamento nas pneumonias intersticiais idiopáticas.

Background: Few studies have addressed small airway (SA) histopathological changes, and their possible role in the remodeling process, in idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. Objectives: To study morphological, morphometrical and immunohistochemical features of SA in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (Usual Interstitial Pneumonia - UIP) and Non-Specific Interstitial Pneumonia (NSIP). Methods: We analyzed SA pathology in lung biopsies of 29 patients with UIP and of 8 with NSIP. Biopsies were compared with lung tissue of 13 patients with Constrictive Bronchiolitis (CB) - as a positive control - and 10 normal autopsied control lungs. We analyzed, semi-quantitatively, SA structure, inflammation, architectural features and the bronchiolar epithelial immunohistochemical expression of TGF-β, MMP -2, -7, -9, and their tissue inhibitors (TIMP-1, -2). Results: Compared to controls, patients with UIP, NSIP and CB presented increased bronchiolar inflammation, peribronchiolar inflammation and fibrosis and decreased luminal areas. UIP patients had thicker walls, due to an increase in most airway compartments. NSIP patients presented increased epithelial areas, whereas patients with CB had larger inner wall areas. All of the groups studied presented increased bronchiolar expression of MMP-7 and MMP-9, compared to the controls. Conclusion: We conclude that SA are pathologically altered and may take part in the lung remodeling process in idiopathic interstitial pneumonias.

[Brucellosis spondylodiscitis: case report]. / Espondilodiscite por brucelose: relato de caso.

A case of spondylodiscitis due to Brucella with systematic manifestation of the disease, in a 56-year-old male patient who was a farmer, is reported. The diagnosis was made from serological tests, with a titer of 1/160. The blood culture was positive and the blood sedimentation rate was high. Radiological abnormalities showed spondylodiscitis at the T8/T9 level that were compatible with this disease. The patient was treated with streptomycin at 1g IM/day for 15 days, and doxycycline plus rifampicin for six weeks, with a clinical improvement in the condition. Vertebral involvement in brucellosis is a complication of variable occurrence in the literature. However, it is considered to be infrequent and difficult to diagnose, particularly in regions with high prevalence of tuberculosis, given that this may mimic conditions of brucellosis. Attention is drawn to this rare case of spondylodiscitis due to brucellosis, given the need for early diagnosis and treatment in order to avoid possible sequelae.

Espondilodiscite por brucelose: relato de caso / Brucellosis spondylodiscitis: case report

Relata-se um caso de espondilodiscite por Brucella em um paciente do sexo masculino, 56 anos, fazendeiro, com manifestações sistêmicas da doença. O diagnóstico foi realizado por sorologia com título de 1/160, hemocultura positiva, o VHS foi elevado, bem como alterações radiológicas mostraram espondilodiscite ao nível de T8/T9 compatíveis com a patologia. O paciente foi tratado com estreptomicina 1gIM/dia por 15 dias, doxaciclina e rifampicina por seis semanas, com melhora clínica do quadro. O envolvimento vertebral na brucelose é uma complicação de ocorrência variável na literatura, mas considerado pouco freqüente, de difícil diagnóstico principalmente em regiões com alta prevalência de tuberculose, visto que esta pode mimetizar o quadro de brucelose. Chama-se atenção a um caso raro de espondilodiscite por brucelose, dada a necessidade de diagnóstico precoce e tratamento a fim de se evitar possíveis seqüelas.

A case of spondylodiscitis due to Brucella with systematic manifestation of the disease, in a 56-year-old male patient who was a farmer, is reported. The diagnosis was made from serological tests, with a titer of 1/160. The blood culture was positive and the blood sedimentation rate was high. Radiological abnormalities showed spondylodiscitis at the T8/T9 level that were compatible with this disease. The patient was treated with streptomycin at 1g IM/day for 15 days, and doxycycline plus rifampicin for six weeks, with a clinical improvement in the condition. Vertebral involvement in brucellosis is a complication of variable occurrence in the literature. However, it is considered to be infrequent and difficult to diagnose, particularly in regions with high prevalence of tuberculosis, given that this may mimic conditions of brucellosis. Attention is drawn to this rare case of spondylodiscitis due to brucellosis, given the need for early diagnosis and treatment in order to avoid possible sequelae.