[Behaviour of HIV/AIDS-related lymphoma in Pedro Kouri Institute. 2004-2005]. / Comportamiento de linfoma relacionado con VIH/SIDA en el Instituto "Pedro Kourí". 2004-2005.

A prospective and descriptive study of 20 patients infected with HIV and admitted to "Pedro Kouri" Institute of Tropical Disease after a diagnosis of lymphoma was conducted. They were all evaluated at the onset of diagnosis by a thorough medical record exam and supportive studies such as complete blood count, globular sedimentation speed, CD4+ count, lactic acid dehydrogenase, HIV viral load, cytology and biopsy. Of this number, 85% presented with CD4+ count under 350 cell/mm3 at the time of diagnosis; however, only 55% showed viral loads exceeding 50,000 copies/mL. The predominant histological subtype was large diffuse cells and the most frequent location was the extrapulmonary site in 70% of cases. It called our attention that high levels of lactic acid dehydrogenase and extrapulmonary location of tumors were related. Statistically significant association was found (p < 0.05) between immunosuppresion condition of the patients given by CD4+ count below 350 cell/mm3 and advanced staging of the tumoral disease (stages III and IV).

[Diagnosis of coccidia and microspores in specimens of diarrheal feces from Cuban HIV seropositive patients: first report of microspores in Cuba]. / Diagnóstico de coccidias y microsporas en muestras de heces diarreicas de pacientes cubanos seropositivos al VIH: primer reporte de microsporas en Cuba.

The numerous specimens of liquid diarrheas received at the clinical parasitology laboratory of "Pedro Kouri" Institute of Tropical Medicine were studied searching for the presence of pathogenic agents of Coccidium subclass and of the microspore family. The conditions to diagnose microsporidia were created on July 13, 2000, and the method was incorporated to the battery of diagnostic techniques used in the laboratory. A cut-off was made after 4 months to analyze the positivity found. A frequency distribution study was conducted and it was observed that of the 170 studied samples, 51 proved to be positive for some protozoon, which represents 30% of positivity. The most frequently found species were Cryptosporidium parvum and microsporidium. Association of various species in a same sample was found in 13.1% of the positive samples. The most frequent associations were: Cryptosporidium parvum and Cyclospora cayetanensis, Cryptosporidium parvum and microsporidium, and Cyclospora cayetanensis and microsporidium, each with 2 patients. Association of 3 different species in a same sample was also found. All the individuals in the series were HIV seropositive and the most affected had less than 200 TCD4+ lymphocytes/mL. This was the first report of microsporidia in feces in Cuba. It was possible after applying and interpreting the technique previously described to identify this phylum. As there is a trend towards the increase of cases with HIV/AIDS infection, it is necessary that the laboratories have the indispendable reagents to perform the modified Didier's trichromic staining and that the professionals and technicians of the parasitology laboratories of the country be trained in the procedures for identifying and recognizing these opportunistic protozoa.