RESUMO
This report describes the clinical and epidemiological findings of an outbreak of histoplasmosis in Brazil involving four persons of the same family, one adult and three children. Contamination by fecal material of bats in the basement of the house was found to be the most likely cause of this outbreak. None of the patients had evidence of immune deficiency. The adult died of acute respiratory distress syndrome. A more severe presentation of the disease in this patient may be partly explained by a heavier exposure to the feces of bats.
Assuntos
Quirópteros/microbiologia , Fezes/microbiologia , Histoplasmose/complicações , Síndrome do Desconforto Respiratório/etiologia , Adulto , Animais , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Surtos de Doenças , Feminino , Histoplasmose/transmissão , Humanos , MasculinoRESUMO
Pulmonary involvement in HTLV-I patients has been identified by several authors in Africa, Japan and Brazil. The objective of this controlled study is to establish an association between HAM and lymphocytosis in the bronchoalveolar fluid (BAL). Thirty-five adult patients with non-traumatic and non-tumoral myelopathy filled out a detailed historical survey and underwent a neurological examination, a thoracic radiological evaluation and a CSF examination. Of the patients in this sample, 22 were diagnosed with HTLV-I associated myelopathy and 13 had myelopathies with other etiologies. Lymphocytosis in the BAL fluid was detected in 18 (82%) of the HAM patients and in 2 (15%) of non-HAM patients. We concluded that the lung represents an important organ in the pathogenesis of HAM.
Assuntos
Líquido da Lavagem Broncoalveolar/citologia , Pneumopatias/virologia , Paraparesia Espástica Tropical/virologia , Adulto , Idoso , Brasil , Líquido da Lavagem Broncoalveolar/virologia , Anticorpos Antideltaretrovirus , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Paraparesia Espástica Tropical/sangue , Paraparesia Espástica Tropical/líquido cefalorraquidiano , Paraparesia Espástica Tropical/imunologia , Testes de Função RespiratóriaRESUMO
HTLV-I associated myelopathy has been described as a systemic disease characterized by manifestations in several organs outside the nervous system. We report inflammatory pulmonary involvement in patients with diagnosis of HAM.