Inhibition of Leukocyte Adherence by Potassium Chloride Extract of Allogeneic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Human Uterine Cervix

ABSTRACT: Leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) assay was used to evaluate cell-mediated immunity in patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. The reactivity of the peripheral blood leukocytes of these patients was evaluated after incubation with pooled extracts of allogeneic squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. One hundred sixty-seven sets of LAI assays were performed on 54 individuals, including 23 patients with Stage I squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, 9 patients with other stages of this tumor, 9 patients with unrelated tumors and 13 normal healthy volunteers. A protein concentration of one milligram per milliliter in the tumor extract and 10% fetal bovine serum in the feeding media gave the best results. Eighty-seven percent (28/32) of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix showed marked specific reactivity. No difference was found in the LAI indices of different stages of the disease.     

Contact dermatitis with cervical lymphadenopathy following exposure to the hide beetle, Dermestes peruvianus

Contact with beetles of the family Dermestidae can produce a variety of disorders including skin, gastrointestinal and respiratory tract disease. Dermatological disorders include dermatitis, ^1·2 vesicular,³ pustular and vasculitic lesions. In addition, there may be pruritus, desquamation and urticaria.^2·4 We report a patient who developed dermatitis, a vasculitic eruption, cervical lymphadenopathy and pulmonary nodular interstitial infiltration as a result of contact with the‘hide beetle’Dermestes peruvianus.