Epidemiology of the Cnidarian Physalia physalis stings attended at a health care center in beaches of Adicora, Venezuela

Stings caused by jellyfish and jellyfish-like colonies are common all around the world, with serious manifestations and occasional deaths reported in some countries. Between December 2006 and 2007, epidemiological, clinical and treatment aspects of stings caused by the Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis) in 59 patients consulting the ambulatory emergency in Adicora, Falcon State, Venezuela, were studied. Most of the stings occurred in males (59%) preschool and school-aged children (49%), visitors from other areas of the country (92%) during holidays when bathing or diving at the beach (97%). Injuries presented linear erythematous plaques at the point of contact with the animal, located in several anatomical sites. Most clinical manifestations observed were: intense burning pain, urticaria, erythema and inflammation (100%), as well dyspnea with laryngeal edema and fever (19%). Patients were treated with topical drugs, including antihistamine and antipyretic drugs, but also with systemic hydrocortisone. P. physalis stings in Adicora appeared to have a seasonal pattern, with systemic complications potentially life-threatening. Thus, epidemiological surveillance program is recommended, particularly in travelers. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) within various phytophysiognomies of a Cerrado reserve in UberlA cent ndia, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Experimental infection of bovines with oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii

Calves aged 3 mth were readily infected with oocysts and cysts of Toxoplasma gondii administered by the oral route. Fever, respiratory distress, nasal discharge, and hyperemia of the conjunctivas were the most significant clinical signs noted in the infected animals. Parasitemia was demonstrated in all infected calves. It occurred on different days and up to 62 days after the infection. Toxoplasma was demonstrated in tissues of all infected calves, and the organ most frequently parasitized was the lymph node. Parasitism of the retina was demonstrated in 2 calves. All infected animals had antibody against T. gondii in their serum. The Sabin-Feldman dye test and the indirect immunofluorescent test were both useful in detecting antitoxoplasma antibody.

Observations on the development of the febrile response to pyrogen in newborn pigs

The febrile response of newborn pigs to exogenous pyrogen injection was investigated. Lipopolysacharides (LPS, E coli) were injected intravenously into the superior vena cava of 1-30-day-old piglets. All the experiments were carried out in littermates half of which were injected with pyrogen and half with pyrogen-free saline. Newborn pigs did not develop a febrile response from 1 to 4 days of age; however, when the animals were 5 days old exogenous pyrogen determined a typical monophasic febrile response. A second intravenous injection of pyrogen into newborn pigs (1 day old) 24 h after the first did not raise body temperature. It is suggested that newborn pigs behave like the newborn of other mammalian species regarding endotoxin-induced thermogenesis.

The development of a febrile response to pyrogen in the thyroid-deficient rabbit

The development of the febrile response to E. coli lipopolysaccharide (1.5 μg/kg, i.v.) in thyroid-deficient rabbits has been studied. Twenty-eight New Zealand White rabbits weighing 2.1-2.3 kg were used. Hypothyroidism was induced by treatment with propylthiouracil (100 or 200 mg/kg body wt./15 days). Thyroid-deficient animals showed a reduction in the febrile response to lipopolysaccharide, but the effect was significantly different (p<0.01) from the control only for rabbits treated with 200 mg/kg of propylthiouracil. Propranolol (2 mg/kg, i.p.) given 30 min before lipopolysaccharide also reduced (p<0.01) the fever response in control rabbits. The results of this experiment are consistent with the hypothesis that the reduction in the febrile response of thyroid-deficient rabbits is due to the reduced number of β-adrenergic receptors, or to a change in the availability of neurotransmitter in thermogenically active tissues, such as brown fat.

Reação metabólica à infecção no hospedeiro.

At the site of local reaction to infection the interleukin-1 (1L-1) is released signaling to distant tissues the presence of infection and attempting to strengthen the host's defenses and inhibit the bacterial growth. This phenomenon is accompanied by anorexia and fever. The muscle-protein breakdown is sustained and the released amino acids are taken up by the liver and other RE structures where they are used as substrates for energy and for synthesis of defense-related proteins. The metabolic adaptations to sepsis include hyperthermia, increased synthesis of hepatic globulins, development of granulopoiesis and neutrophilia and redistribution of serum iron and trace minerals.

Linfonodo pulmonar na paracoccidioidomicose aguda infantil (relato de um caso).

The primary complex like Ghon was observed in a child's clinical roentgenographic study. C.S., white, male, 6 years old, was born in Curitiba (PR), Brazil and living in Guaratingueta (SP), Brazil, developed common cold, bimodal diary fever, chills, shake and sweats. Dyspnea, cough with general lymphadenopathy. Foot and right shoulder arthralgias. Six months ago visited a cave, equitation practice, dog and cat contacts and no transfusion, frontal sweats, fever (38.4 degrees C). T.A. was 8/6, tachycardia in generalized lymphadenopathy. Cardiopulmonary system was normal, mesogastric tumoral mass, hepatosplenomegaly and no ascites. Bone marrow with eosinophilia; nodule demonstrated presence of P. brasiliensis, hypoalbuminemia; hyperglobulinemia; anemia; leukocytosis with eosinophilia. Immunodiffusion with exoantigen 43 kd of P. brasiliensis was 1/32. Primary complex like Ghon was observed in interstitial pneumonia followed by mediastinal and mesogastric mass (35 to 40 days). Clavicular osteolytic lesions (45 to 60 days) appeared during paracoccidioidomycosis therapy. Recovery was observed 2 months after treatment of acute infantile paracoccidioidomycosis.

Influence of age on the febrile response to E. coli and S. typhimurium endotoxins in growing pullets.

1. The effect of bacterial endotoxin injection was studied in growing pullets of different ages. Commercial chicks were divided into 5 groups according to age. Bacterial endotoxins (E. coli and S. typhimurium) were injected intravenously and rectal temperature was measured over a period of 300 min. 2. The results showed no significant effect of age on the febrile response induced by bacterial endotoxins, but a slight tendency towards a reduced fever peak was observed with increasing age. The response latency also increased with age.

Foreign body in the tracheobronchial tree

A 20-year experience with the treatment of 74 patients (83.8% children) for foreign body aspiration is reviewed. The object of this review is to show the clinical manifestations, the radiological findings, the nature and distribution in the bronchial tree, and complications due to longstanding (months or years) foreign bodies in the bronchial tree. The most common foreign bodies found were peanuts (13.5%), corn (13.5%), and beans (13.5%). The most frequent clinical manifestation was choking (67.5%), and the most frequent radiological finding was atelectasis (41.8%). The most serious complication was bronchiectasis needing resection in six patients who had the foreign body retained for years in the bronchial tree. In conclusion, in spite of an obvious foreign body in the tracheobronchial tree many cases are not diagnosed, and a longstanding foreign body in the airway may be responsible for irreversible complications.

Doença de Castleman multicêntrica: Relato de um caso

Castleman's disease (CD) is an uncommon lymphoproliferative disorder that is morphologically and clinically heterogeneous. Both a localized benign variant and a multicentric form with systemic manifestations have been described. Although there are many published cases in literature, there are a few reports about this pathology in Brazil. We describe a patient with several manifestations of multicentric CD: lymphadenopathy, weight loss, fever, arthralgia, myalgia, and hepatosplenomegaly. Pathological examination of excised cervical lymph node revealed its rarest form: a CD of the hyaline-vascular type in multicentric presentation.