Leishmaniasis in Sicily (Italy): an investigation of the distribution and prevalence of phlebotomine sandflies in Catania Province

Catania province, Sicily, is an important foci for human visceral leishmaniasis. Current data indicate an annual average incidence of 10 registered cases per year during the past 3 years. Of registered cases, more than 20% were among individuals who were also human immunodeficiency virus positive. Since the 1930s, no vector studies have been performed in this area. From May through November 1997, sandflies were collected using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention light traps and a sticky-trap method. Collecting sites were chosen throughout Catania and represent the diversity of the region (rural, semiurban, and sylvan areas). Meteorological data were recorded during the survey. The most common species, of 2,775 specimens collected and identified, was Phlebotomus perniciosus (23.3%), followed by Phlebotomus perfiliewi (1.1%) and Phlebotomus neglectus (0.2%); one specimen of Phlebotomus papatasi was found at the site. Sergentomyia minuta (72.4%) was found at all sampling sites. None of 137 sandfly females, which were caught at the Brucoli and Sigonella stations and dissected for natural transmission study, contained parasites.     

Sonographic biometry of the frontal lobe in normal and growth-restricted neonates

Assessing the impact of restricted intrauterine growth on neonatal frontal lobe (FL) dimensions is important. We aimed to create a sonographic nomogram of FL dimensions in neonates at different gestational ages (GA) and evaluate the impact of small head circumference (HC) on FL dimensions. We conducted sonographic biometry of the FL at birth. We included 218 newborn infants born at GA of 24-43 wk: appropriate for GA and normal HC (n = 178), and small for GA and small HC (n = 23). Infants with a 5-min Apgar score <7, severe congenital malformations, or chromosomal abnormalities were excluded. Through a coronal ultrasound scan via the anterior fontanelle at the level where the most lateral point of the left Sylvian fissure was best demonstrated, we drew a triangle connecting the most lateral point of the Sylvian fissure, the corpus callosum, and the subcalvarian point of the interhemispheric fissure. We measured the three sides of the triangle, Sylvian-fontanellar distance, Sylvian-callosal distance, and fontanellar-callosal distance, and calculated the frontal triangular area. All four FL dimensions increased significantly between 24 and 43 wk of gestation in both appropriate for GA-normal HC and small for GA-small HC neonates, and were strongly correlated with HC and birth weight. Regression lines of GA against Sylvian-fontanellar distance, Sylvian-callosal distance, fontanellar-callosal distance, and frontal triangular area in the appropriate for GA-normal HC group differed significantly from those of the small for GA-small HC group (p < 0.05). Male neonates had significantly larger Sylvian-fontanellar and Sylvian-callosal distances than females (p < 0.01 and p < 0.015, respectively). In conclusion, FL measures increased significantly between 24 and 43 wk of gestation, and were strongly correlated with HC. We speculate that a sonographically small fetal HC implies growth restriction of the fetal FL.     

Neonatal lenticulostriate vasculopathy: further characterisation

BACKGROUND: Lenticulostriate vasculopathy (LSV) is sometimes detected on routine brain ultrasonography in neonates, and is often associated with various perinatal and neonatal abnormalities. However, most reports on LSV are retrospective with no controls. OBJECTIVES: To compare the perinatal and neonatal clinical characteristics of neonates with LSV with matched controls and to summarise all published reports of LSV. DESIGN: A prospective study that summarises the clinical, laboratory, and neurosonographic data of neonates with LSV. METHODS: Of 1184 neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during a three year period, 857 had a routine head ultrasound examination. Twenty one had LSV, and were compared with 42 matched controls with regard to gestational, perinatal, neonatal, laboratory, and neurosonographic characteristics. RESULTS: LSV was detected in 21 of the 857 (2.45%) neonates. It was bilateral in 10 of the 21 cases and located in the thalamus (n = 14) and basal ganglia (n = 7). Infants with LSV were not significantly different from matched controls in most tested variables. However, compared with the control group, the LSV group included significantly more multiple births and more disturbances in amniotic fluid volume, but less meconial amniotic fluid. In addition, the patients with LSV required fewer blood transfusions and less phototherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Except for more multiple births, neonates with LSV did not display more adverse findings than their matched controls.     

Abdominal compartment syndrome in children: CT findings

Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) is caused by pathological elevation of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) leading to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Since the condition is highly lethal, early diagnosis is imperative. We evaluated the pre-operative abdominal CT scans of three children with proven ACS to identify signs of elevated IAP. Findings common to these patients included narrowing of the inferior vena cava (IVC), direct renal compression or displacement, bowel wall thickening with enhancement and a rounded appearance of the abdomen. The aim of recognising the CT findings in such cases is to plan emergency surgical decompression. Although these findings are not specific for increased IAP, radiologists should be aware of this life-threatening condition and, in the proper clinical setting, should communicate the presence and significance of these findings to the referring clinician.     

Utility of sonographically guided biopsy in metabolically suspected recurrent lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of sonographically guided biopsy of [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-avid foci on positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in patients with lymphoma. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 56 patients with lymphoma (25 male and 31 female; mean age, 48.5 years; range, 22-80 years) who underwent sonographically guided biopsy of hypermetabolic FDG-avid foci precisely localized by PET/CT. Biopsies were performed up to 3 months after PET/CT. The accuracy of core biopsy was calculated and compared with clinical follow-up and histopathologic results of open biopsy. RESULTS: Sixty-six sonographically guided biopsies were performed in the 56 patients. Histopathologic results were conclusive in 53 (80%) of 66. No complications occurred during or after the procedure. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and accuracy for diagnosis of lymphoma were 100%, 95%, 97%, and 98%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Sonographically guided biopsy is a safe and effective means for investigating metabolically active lesions on FDG-PET/CT in patients with known lymphoma.     

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery for Recurrent Spontaneous Pneumothorax: The Long-term Benefit

Background Management of recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax by open surgery was considered the treatment of choice until recently. The major drawbacks of this management are the prolonged postoperative pain and cosmetic results. In the last decade, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has replaced the routine use of open surgery. Most papers that compared limited open surgery to VATS addressed the early postoperative results, and studies that assessed the long-term results focused primarily on the rate of recurrence and pulmonary function tests. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of minithoracotomy and VATS with emphasis on patients’ long-term, subjective perspective and satisfaction. Methods Medical records of patients with recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who underwent surgical treatment by limited thoracotomy (63 patients) or VATS (58 patients) more than 3 years ago were enrolled. Hospital medical charts were used to compare the early postoperative results. Outpatient clinic records and a telephone questionnaire were employed to evaluate long-term results. Results There was no mortality or major morbidity in either group, and hospitalization time was similar. Patients in the thoracotomy group needed significantly higher doses of narcotic analgesia for a longer period. There were two cases of recurrence in the VATS group (3%). Seventy-eight percent of patients in the VATS and 21% in the thoracotomy group classified their pain as insignificant a month following the operation (P < 0.05). Three years following surgery, 97% of the VATS group patients considered themselves completely recovered from the operation compared with only 79% in the thoracotomy group (P < 0.05). Nineteen percent of the thoracotomy group and 3% of the VATS group suffered from chronic or intermittent pain necessitating use of analgesics more than once a month. Thirteen percent of patients from the open procedure group required services from the pain clinic. Patients in the VATS group were, in general, much more satisfied with their operation and with the surgical scars compared with patients from the thoracotomy group. Conclusion We recommend video-assisted surgery as the first-line surgical treatment for patients with recurrent primary spontaneous pneumothorax. This recommendation is based on its somewhat favorable early postoperative course, the superior long-term outcome, and patient satisfaction.