[Erythrocytosis in a 4 year-old child: diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutical problems]. / Erythrocytose pure chez un enfant de 4 ans: problèmes diagnostiques, pronostiques, thérapeutiques.

BACKGROUND: Pure erythrocytosis is rare in children. This report describes such a case. CASE REPORT: A 4 year-old boy was admitted because erythrocytosis had been found routinely before adenoidectomy. He was born in Guatemala, was adopted just after his birth, and had been living in France since that age. Clinical examination was normal. His hemogram showed: erythrocytes: 8,800,000/mm3; hemoglobin: 20.1 g/dl; hematocrit: 66.8%; reticulocytes: 262,000/mm3; platelets: 200,000/mm3; leukocytes: 6,800/mm3. The patient had been given iron salts for the past 3 months without an earlier hemogram. Total red cell mass was 1200 ml (N: 600). The myelogram was normal as was the leukocyte alkaline phosphatases, serum lysozyme and vitamin B12. Blood ferritin was low (3.5 ng/ml). In vitro cultures of erythroid precursors were normal, as was the karyotype of myeloid cells. Blood erythropoietin concentration was 20-293 mU/ml (N:4-14). All the causes of secondary polycythemia were eliminated by appropriate investigations. The patient was treated by phlebotomy in aliquots of 25 ml/kg, twice a month, for 10 months, and was given iron therapy. At the end of treatment, his hemoglobin was 14 g/dl and his hematocrit was 45%. Both progressively increased again one year later, requiring new phlebotomies. The patient was followed for 4 years but no cause for this erythrocytosis was found; it was probably congenital in origin. CONCLUSION: This case of pure erythrocytosis was associated with elevated erythropoietin production. Whether this high secretion is related to receptor dysfunction remains to be determined.

[Palpebral edema with fever and Streptococcus sanguis septicemia]. / Oedème palpébral fébrile et septicémie à Streptococcus sanguis.

A case of facial cellulitis complicated by regional thrombophlebitis and septicemia is reported in a 6 year-old girl. Streptococcus sanguis, a bacterial agent, unusually responsible for cellulitis, was isolated from 5 blood cultures. This child had no immunosuppression or endocarditis or dental infection. She had been previously given a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, which was potentially responsible for the diffusion of infection.

Group A streptococcal cellulitis-adenitis in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

A rapidly enlarging left inguinal adenitis, with positive groove sign, and fever, chills, malaise, hypotension, headache, scarlatiniform rash, choleroid diarrhea, and proteinuria developed in an homosexual man who was positive for human immunodeficiency virus. The needle aspiration of the inguinal mass showed group A beta-hemolytic streptococci and the blood cultures were negative, suggesting group A streptococcal cellulitis-adenitis with toxic strep syndrome. Treatment with penicillin and surgical drainage was successful. Bacterial infections associated with defective humoral immunity appear to be common in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and some of these infections have a remarkable extensive and lethal evolution. Therefore streptococcal adenitis should be considered in any patient with AIDS or AIDS-related syndrome in whom rapidly enlarging inguinal nodes develop.

Pyoderma gangrenosum with pulmonary involvement.

A 60-year-old woman had a typical pyoderma gangrenosum with monoclonal IgA gammopathy and atrophic gastritis. Two years after the onset of her skin disease, she had evidence of pulmonary abscesslike involvement. Corticosteroid therapy led to healing of skin and lung diseases. This case stresses the multisystemic manifestations of neutrophilic dermatoses with special attention to pulmonary involvement.

Gardez moi en bonne sante: Prise en charge de l'enfant entre 0 et 5 ans: manuel a l'usage des agents des centres de sante

Le jeune enfant est un etre particulierement fragile. Pour lui assurer une croissance et un developpement harmonieux; pour le proteger au maximum contre les maladies et les accidents; de nombreuses mesures doivent etre prises. Ces mesures sont developpees dans le present manuel