Lingual cysticercosis

Cysticercosis is a disease caused by larval form of tapeworm. Cysticercus cellulose primarily develops in tissues of pigs. Infection of human tissues is unusual and affliction of the oral cavity is rare. We, herein, present a case of lingual cysticercosis without involvement of any other site. A 5-year-old male, non-vegetarian child presented with a painless, pearly white, solitary nodular swelling on posterior dorsal side of tongue since 3 months. Excision biopsy was done. Histopathology revealed cysticercous cellulose in tongue muscles.     

脑猪囊尾蚴病的临床病理诊断

目的：探讨脑猪囊尾蚴病的临床病理特点及诊断方法。方法：复习12例脑猪囊尾蚴病的病理切片、病史及临床资料。结果：男女发病性别比3：1，平均年龄22岁。临床以癫痫发作为主要症状9例，颅内高压2例，痴呆1例。5例见到猪囊尾蚴，7例虫体崩解的陈旧性病变均找到形态不一的石灰小体。结论：脑猪囊尾蚴病以青年男性多见，癫痫发作为主要症状。病理诊断除找到囊尾蚴外，组织中散在的石灰小体是陈旧性病变的重要诊断依据。     

Granuloma cytokines in murine cysticercosis.

Neurocysticercosis, caused by Taenia solium, is one of the most common causes of seizures worldwide. The symptoms result from granulomatous inflammation associated with dying cyst forms of the parasite. Although the invasive larvae can be killed by immune serum plus complement, immunity to the cyst stage depends on a cellular response. This dichotomous immune response is reminiscent of the extremes of the immune response associated with T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 cytokine profiles. To characterize the cytokine response in cysticercosis, granulomas were removed from the peritoneal cavity of mice infected with Taenia crassiceps cysts and examined for cytokine message by in situ hybridization using 35S-labeled RNA probes. The granulomas were staged based on histologic appearance of the degenerating parasite. Message for gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) was identified by light microscopy in 11 of the 12 granulomas, and interleukin-2 (IL-2) message was identified in 9 of the 12. By laser scanning confocal microscopy, significantly increased IFN-gamma and IL-2 pixel intensity was identified in nearly all of the granulomas from early histologic stages. Message for IL-4 was seen in 6 of the 12 granulomas. Only granulomas with complete destruction of the parasite architecture displayed more than minimal amounts of IL-4 message by light microscopy, and only 2 of 12 granulomas had IL-4 pixel intensity significantly above background. Only minimal amounts of IL-10 message were detected in 4 of 11 granulomas. Thus, early granulomas in cysticercosis are predominantly associated with a Th1 response, whereas later granulomas, in which parasite destruction is complete, have a mixture of Th1 and IL-4. The Th1 response appears to play an important role both in the pathogenesis of disease as well as in the clearing of the parasites, with IL-4 involved in downregulation of the initial response.     

Tumoural vascularity as a prognostic factor in cancer patients: the evidence continues to grow

Accurate prognostic indicators would help in identifying patients at high risk for recurrence and death. Recent and previous studies indicate that intratumoural microvessel density (iMVD) of invasive breast carcinoma (a measure of tumour angiogenesis) is associated with aggressive tumour growth; iMVD may thus be a valuable prognostic indicator. Moreover, the bulk of accumulating data indicates that microvessel density in the area of most intense neovascularization in invasive breast carcinoma is an independent, significant and accurate prognostic indicator in predicting poorer survival. Such an indicator would be useful in the selection of high-risk patients with breast carcinoma for systemic adjuvant therapy. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Praziquantel treatment of muscleTaenia solium cysticercosis

The in vitro effect of Praziquantel (PZQ) onTaenia solium cysticerci was analyzed. The oxygen consumption rate of the parasites was inhibited and the release of proteins was enhanced, but no statistically significant differences were found between the control group and the experimental groups. The drug had a significant, dose-dependent negative effect on the evagination ability of the larvae; 50% effect was seen at concentrations of between 10^–9 and 10^–8 M PZQ. The drug also induced morphological disturbances in the tegument of the worm and of the bladder wall. Finally, a very drastic effect was the induction of spastic paralysis in evaginated cysticerci at high drug doses and of flaccid paralysis at lower PZQ concentrations. The dose inducing these effects was various orders of magnitude lower than that inhibiting the evagination ability of intact cysts. Moreover, the latter effect was reversible after had been washed out the drug and the parasites had been cultured. We suggest that PZQ alters the Ca²⁺ flux inT. solium as it does in other helminths. Furthermore, we corroborated the protective role of the bladder for the invaginated worm. Finally, we think that in vivo the drug must act synergistically with the immune system components so as to eliminate the parasite.     

脑囊虫病人的脑电图观察

目的 :探讨脑囊虫病人的脑电图变化。方法 :对 381例脑囊虫病人的脑电图检查结果进行分析。结果 :2 38例脑囊虫病人的脑电图异常 ,异常率为 6 2 5 %。在异常脑电图中 ,轻度异常占44 1%、中度异常占 39 5 %、重度异常 16 4% ;并对治疗 2～ 4个疗程的 16 7例脑囊虫病人进行脑电图复查 ,脑电图正常和明显好转者占 88 1%。结论 :脑电图检查对脑囊虫病的诊断和评估疗效具有重要的价值。     

Sero-epidemiological study of cysticercosis in Reunion Island

Cysticercosis is a health problem in Reunion Island. A representative sample (3388 sera) of the Reunion population (more than 14 years of age) shows a prevalence of 8.2%. A statistically significant correlation is found with mode of transmission (pig raising, toilet). This result contributes to proposed measures of prevention.