Canine visceral leishmaniasis: Performance of a rapid diagnostic test (Kalazar Detect (TM)) in dogs with and without signs of the disease

Current visceral leishmaniasis (VL) control programs in Brazil include the infected dog elimination but, despite this strategy, the incidence of human VL is still increasing. One of the reasons is the long delay between sample collection, analysis, control implementation and the low sensitivity of diagnostic tests. Due to the high prevalence of asymptomatic dogs, the diagnosis of these animals is important considering their vector infection capacity. Hence, a rapid and accurate diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis is essential for an efficient surveillance program. In this study we evaluated the performance of rK39 antigen in an immunochromatographic format to detect symptomatic and asymptomatic Leishmania chagasi infection in dogs and compared the results with those using a crude antigen ELISA. The sensitivity of rK39 dipstick and ELISA were 83% vs. 95%, respectively, while the specificity was both 100%. Our results also demonstrated that the dipstick test was able to detect infected dogs presenting different clinical forms. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic implications of oral intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia

This study examined the clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical features as well as the differential diagnoses of oral intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (IPEH) to aid clinicians and pathologists in its diagnosis. Clinical features of five oral IPEH cases were obtained from medical records, and all histopathological diagnoses were reviewed. Immunohistochemical reactions, including anti-CD-34, laminin, vimentin, estrogen receptor alpha, and Ki-67, were assessed. Microscopically, a reactive proliferation of vascular cells composed of small papillary structures with hypocellular and hyalinized cores arising in an organized thrombus was seen. CD-34, vimentin, and laminin staining were strongly positive, while estrogen receptor alpha was negative in all cases. A low percentage of cells were positive for Ki-67 in four of five lesions, but one case was strongly positive. A diagnosis of angiosarcoma was investigated and rejected. IPEH presents specific microscopic characteristics that along with clinical data lead to an accurate diagnosis. The general dentist, the first to participate in the diagnostic process, must share the responsibility for diagnosis with the pathologist, and they must work together to determine the correct diagnosis and management. Oral lesions of IPEH are uncommon. Their main significance is that they show a microscopic resemblance to angiosarcoma. Thus, clinicians should have more information regarding this benign entity. Finally, we suggest that in recurrent cases exhibiting strong immunolabeling of proliferative markers the possibility of angiosarcoma should be investigated.

Masticatory muscle activity during maximum voluntary clench in different research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD) groups

The research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD) are used for the classification of patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Surface electromyography of the right and left masseter and temporalis muscles was performed during Maximum teeth clenching in 103 TMD patients subdivided according to the RDC/TMD into 3 non-overlapping groups: (a) 25 myogenous; (b) 61 arthrogenous; and (c) 17 psycogenous patients. Thirty-two control subjects matched for sex and age were also measured. During clenching, standardized total muscle activities (electromyographic potentials over time) significantly differed: 131.7 mu V/mu V s % in the normal subjects, 117.6 mu V/mu V s % in the myogenous patients, 105.3 mu V/mu V s % in the arthrogenous patients, 88.7 mu V/mu V s % in the psycogenous patients (p < 0.001, analysis of covariance). Symmetry in the temporalis muscles was larger in normal subjects (86.3%) and in myogenous patients (84.9%) than in arthrogenous (82.7%), and psycogenous patients (80.5%) (p=0.041). No differences were found for masseter muscle symmetry and torque coefficient (p>0.05). Surface electromyography of the masticatory muscles allowed an objective discrimination among different RDC/TMD subgroups. This evaluation could assist conventional clinical assessments. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.