Skin infection caused by Mycobacterium marinum

Mycobacterium (M.) marinum is a human opportunistic pathogen, capable of causing skin infections and possibly also affecting deeper tissues. The authors describe a case of skin infection caused by M. marinum in a female patient with an appropriate case history. They emphasize the need of close cooperation of the clinician with a microbiologist when establishing the diagnosis.     

Skin prick tests and allergy diagnosis

Skin testing remains an essential diagnostic tool in modern allergy practice.A significant variability has been reported regarding technical procedures, interpretation of results and documentation. This review has the aim of consolidating methodological recommendations through a critical analysis on past and recent data. This will allow a better understanding on skin prick test (SPT) history; technique; (contra-) indications; interpretation of results; diagnostic pitfalls; adverse reactions; and variability factors.     

Skin tests for trophallergens and asthma

The place of trophallergens in the allergy investigation of asthmatic children is controversial. Asthma is only rarely the isolated manifestation of food allergy. The clinical history is essential for research of the associated signs that reveal a food allergy. In the absence of these associated signs, the presence of a positive test for trophallergens only rarely reflects a true food allergy, of which the presence can only be assured by a double blind oral provocation test. In addition, in nurslings, the presence of a positive skin test to a trophallergen indicates atopy in the infant, but is only a mediocre predictive factor of eventual asthma, in the absence of an associated clinical allergy.     

Skin and soft tissue infection caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria.

SETTING: A medical centre in Taipei, Taiwan. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the trend and characteristics of patients with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) related skin and soft tissue infection. DESIGN: A total of 63 patients with culture-proven diseases were identified from January 1997 to December 2004. The medical records of all patients were reviewed. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were infected with rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM), 19 with Mycobacterium marinum, six with M. avium complex (MAC), five with M. kansasii and six with other species. Most patients presented with a protracted cutaneous lesion without systemic symptoms, and two thirds of the patients had a history of exposure. Seventy-three per cent of the lesions involved the extremities. Underlying illness with suppressed immunity was documented in 30.2% of the patients, and was most prevalent in patients with MAC (100%) and M. kansasii (60%). Of the patients, 62% underwent at least one surgical intervention, and 77.8% received treatment with different antimicrobial combinations. Most patients (86%) recovered completely. Granulomatous inflammation was found in 88.9% of biopsied tissue associated with M. marinum infection, 31.8% with RGM and 25.0% with MAC. CONCLUSION: A combination of surgery and antimicrobials cured most patients with microbiologically proven localised NTM skin and soft tissue infection.     

Skin temperature changes caused by smoking and other sympathomimetic stimuli

Within relatively recent years there has accumulated an extensive literature concerning the effects of tobacco on the circulatory system. Generally, such phenomena as changes in blood pressure, pulse rate, and the behavior of peripheral blood vessels, as indicated by changes in the temperature of the skin of the extremities, have been taken as qualitative and quantitative criteria of the nature of these effects. Agreement among the various investigators is by no means perfect, particularly with respect to changes in skin temperature. Also, many investigators seem to have overlooked certain physical and physiologic factors in the production of skin temperature changes which may be of crucial importance in so far as they concern interpretation of these changes. The purpose of this investigation is threefold: first, to add further information, either in confirmation of, or in contradiction to, that already reported; second, to report observations not previously mentioned in the literature; and, third, to interpret these data as carefully as possible, with due consideration for the physical and physiologic environment in which the experiments were conducted. Most of the very extensive bibliography on the subject is omitted for the purpose of conserving space.     

Colonic ulceration caused by administration of loxoprofen sodium.

A 54-year-old female with chronic headache was admitted to our hospital because of hematochezia. She had routinely taken loxoprofen sodium because of severe headache. Emergent colonoscopic examination revealed ulceration of the cecum. After administration of loxoprofen sodium was discontinued and administration of sulfasalazine was initiated, her intestinal bleeding subsided. Two months after discontinuation of loxoprofen sodium, the colonoscopic examination revealed scar formation at the site of cecal ulceration. In this case, it was conceivable that the administration of loxoprofen sodium might have induced colonic ulceration.     

Proteomics analysis of rat liver fibrosis caused by sodium arsenite

<正>Objective To study the mechanism of liver fibrosis in rats caused by chronic exposure through drinking water containing sodium arsenite,and to identify the differential proteins via proteomics technique.Methods Totally 40healthy 8-week-old male Sprague Dawley(SD)rats of specific pathogen free(SPF)grade were randomly divided into 4 groups,which were control group(deionized water),0.68,1.36 and 2.73 mg/kg sodium arsenite     

Skin infection caused by Mycobacterium szulgai after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Infections are responsible for a large part of the morbidity and mortality after BMT because of the sustained impairment of host defenses. We report a case of cutaneous infection caused by Mycobacterium szulgai in a boy who underwent BMT with marrow from a matched unrelated donor.     

头孢哌酮钠/舒巴坦致严重凝血功能障碍1例报告

1临床资料患者女性,31岁,因＂全腹胀痛,恶心、呕吐1天余＂于2016年8月22日入本院。既往体健。入院查体：体温36.4℃,脉搏95次/min,血压110/70 mm Hg,呼吸18次/min。一般状态尚可,全身皮肤、巩膜无黄染,未见肝掌、蜘蛛痣;双肺呼吸音粗,可闻及少许湿啰音;心率95次/min,律整。腹部膨隆,中上腹有压痛,伴有反跳痛、腹肌紧张。血常规：白细胞19.24×10^9/L,中性粒细胞百分比0.92,血红蛋白150 g/L,     

Skin tests in the diagnosis of betalactam allergy

The sensitivity of prick and intradermal tests in the diagnosis of immediate reaction to betalactams mainly depends on the drug that elicited the reaction and the time elapsed from the clinical reaction. For penicillins the use of the major determinant (BPO-polylisine), a mixture of minor determinants (MDM), benzylpenicillin and aminopenicillins have a sensitivity of 60–90%. Taking into consideration that 10% of cases of penicillin allergy were made during rechallenge study, it supports the need to include this procedure in the study of penicillin allergy. This is particularly important in patients with immediate reactions sensitised only to aminopenicillin with good tolerance to penicillin and if the time elapsed from last reaction is more than 6 months. For immediate reactions to cephalosporins the sensitivity of the skin test is less than for penicillins, approximately 50%. For other betalactams the experience is limited and no conclusion can be drawn. The value of late reading of intradermal tests and the patch test in late reactions to betalactams is also limited but can be useful in approximately 40–80% of cases.     

Androgen receptor in prostate carcinoma: immunohistochemical and ligand saturation analyses

Status of androgen receptor (AR) in prostate carcinoma is biologically important. Therefore, more methods assessing AR abnormalities are warranted. Immunohistochemical (IHC) and ligand saturation (LSA) assays were not compared in details. AR in 53 cases were tested by monoclonal antibody (Ab) F39.4.1 (Biogenex), polyclonal Ab N-20 (Santa Cruz) and by ligand saturation analysis with (3)H-methyltrienolon. Statistical analyses were performed with Spearman's nonparametric rank test including neoadjuvant therapy subgroups treated by antiandrogens, combined androgen blockade (22 cases; flutamide with gosereline) or without therapy. By using monoclonal Ab we found AR positive tumor nuclei in 46 cases. Mean of positives was 64%, median 75%. The polyclonal Ab was not sufficiently specific. With LSA AR were found in 43 cases. Mean level was 6.6 fmol/mg, median 5.5 fmol/mg. Comparing IHC with LSA, we noted correlation trend only for the monoclonal Ab (r=0.35; p=0.02). With thresholds 70% positive nuclei for IHC and 6 fmol/mg for LSA, there were 66% and 43% cases positive with IHC and LSA, respectively. The LSA and IHC positives did not show significant agreement, concordance level being 58% only. We found significant IHC-LSA correlation (r=0.68; p=0.004) solely in combined androgen blockade subgroup with 82% level concordance. Our study has demonstrated that AR IHC and LSA are independent complementary methods. Significant correlation between LSA and IHC show only cases treated with combined androgen blockade. An explanation hypothesis is discussed concerning LH-RH influence on free AR capable of ligand binding. IHC as well as LSA have specific biologic significance and may be useful for prostate cancer diagnostic and therapy.     

Different polymerase chain reaction-based analyses for culture-negative endocarditis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae

Two cases of culture-negative infective endocarditis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae are presented. Conventional bacteriological methods were compared with 2 different polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based analyses: PCR amplification with primers specific for S. pneumoniae, and broad-range PCR followed by sequencing. PCR-based analyses can be a valuable supplement to traditional bacteriological analyses.     

老年患者应用头孢哌酮钠/舒巴坦钠致严重内脏出血一例

目的 通过报告1例头孢哌酮钠/舒巴坦钠致老年患者凝血功能障碍及严重内脏出血,以警示老年患者应谨慎使用该药,尤其在患者已行有创操作时。方法 对患者的病史、用药情况和住院期间的检查结果和治疗情况进行分析。结果 患者出现凝血功能障碍及严重出血和头孢哌酮钠/舒巴坦钠相关。结论 营养状况差同时合并多种慢性疾病的老年患者在使用头孢哌酮钠/舒巴坦钠时应警惕可能出现凝血功能障碍,应定期监测凝血功能并观察出血倾向,以便及时发现,必要时尽早补充维生素K以防止严重的致死性出血事件的发生。