An unusual cause of granulomatous disease

Background  

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited disorder of phagocytic cells caused by an inability to generate active microbicidal oxygen species required kill certain types of fungi and bacteria. This leads to recurrent life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections with tissue granuloma formation.     

Best practice in primary care pathology: review 6

This sixth best practice review examines four series of common primary care questions in laboratory medicine: (1) laboratory monitoring in hypertension and heart failure abnormalities; (2) markers of inflammatory joint disease; (3) laboratory investigation of chronic diarrhoea; and (4) mumps and chickenpox. The review is presented in question-answer format, referenced for each question series. The recommendations represent a precis of guidance found using a standardised literature search of national and international guidance notes, consensus statements, health policy documents and evidence-based medicine reviews, supplemented by Medline Embase searches to identify relevant primary research documents. They are not standards but form a guide to be set in the clinical context. Most are consensus based rather than evidence based. They will be updated periodically to take account of new information.     

Best practice in primary care pathology: review 2

This second best practice review examines five series of common primary care questions in laboratory medicine: (1) laboratory testing for allergy, (2) diagnosis and monitoring of menopause, (3) the use of urine cytology, (4) the usefulness of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and (5) the investigation of possible urinary tract infection. The review is presented in a question-answer format. The recommendations represent a précis of guidance found using a standardised literature search of national and international guidance notes, consensus statements, health policy documents, and evidence based medicine reviews, supplemented by MEDLINE EMBASE searches to identify relevant primary research documents. They are standards but form a guide to be set in the clinical context. Most are consensus rather than evidence based. They will be updated periodically to take account of new information.     

Distribution of cadmium in the cockle (Katelysia scalarina) in Princess Royal Harbour,Albany, Western Australia

The study was aimed to assess the distribution of cadmium in the body tissue of the cockle (Katelysia scalarina) from the Princess Royal Harbour (PRH), Albany, Western Australia. The samples of cockle were collected from the north‐west, west, and south‐west ends of PRH in summer, autumn, winter, and spring in the period of 1992. Sixty cockles in total were collected by hand from the intertidal zone at the three selected sites for each season, and they were used to determine the level of cadmium in the tissue of the cockle. The graphite tube atomizer spectrometry (GT 95‐VARIAN) was used for the determination of cadmium in the samples and the standard additions method was applied to all samples. The amount of cadmium in different tissues was expressed as the percentage of total body cadmium. The results of the study showed that the gills of the cockle were found to have higher levels of cadmium (35.0%±3.8%) than the other three tissue studied and the adductor muscle was the lowest (18.8%±2.9%). Significant interaction between season and site on the tissue distribution suggests that tissue levels may be affected by monthly variations in environmental factors that is influencing the organism' metabolism. The accumulation of cadmium in the tissue of the cockle showed potential for use as a heavy metal indicator. ©2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Environ Toxicol 15: 40–47, 2000     

Recurrent intra-cranial granulomata presenting as space-occupying lesions in a patient with common variable immunodeficiency.

A patient with profound panhypogammaglobulinaemia due to common variable immunodeficiency developed two discrete intra-cranial space-occupying lesions, 10 years apart, requiring craniotomy. Histological examination revealed the intra-cranial masses to be granulomata of unknown aetiology on both occasions.