12 research outputs found
Prognosis of HPV-positive head and neck cancers : implication of smoking and immunosuppression
Image of the month. Small intestine perforation after an unknown ingestion of a foreign body
peer reviewe
A rare cause of colic polyp in a patient with ischemic colitis.
A 50-year-old woman was admitted for a rectal bleeding after an episode of defecation 2 days prior to her admission. The patient had also suffered from lower abdominal pain for 3 days, but did not complain about any other pain. The patient had no personal or familial medical history. The clinical examination only revealed a sensitive abdomen in the left inferior quadrant of the abdomen without defence or rebound. The vital parameters were normal. The blood sample showed the following: haemoglobin 15.2 g/dL (12-16), MCV 105 (85-95), leucocytes 11800/ mm3 (4200-9000) among which 8470/mm3 neutrophils (1900-7000), platelets 225000/mm3 (150000-400000) and CRP 171.5 mg/dL (< 12). We noticed that the haemoglobin had decreased from 15.2 g/dL to 11.6 g/ dL between the emergency and our gastroenterological department. [...
Skin Lesions in European Hibernating Bats Associated with Geomyces destructans, the Etiologic Agent of White-Nose Syndrome
White-nose syndrome (WNS) has claimed the lives of millions of hibernating insectivorous bats in North America. Its etiologic agent, the psychrophilic fungus Geomyces destructans, causes skin lesions that are the hallmark of the disease. The fungal infection is characterized by a white powdery growth on muzzle, ears and wing membranes. While WNS may threaten some species of North American bats with regional extinction, infection in hibernating bats in Europe seems not to be associated with significant mortality. We performed histopathological investigations on biopsy samples of 11 hibernating European bats, originating from 4 different countries, colonized by G. destructans. One additional bat was euthanized to allow thorough examination of multiple strips of its wing membranes. Molecular analyses of touch imprints, swabs and skin samples confirmed that fungal structures were G. destructans. Additionally, archived field notes on hibernacula monitoring data in the Harz Mountains, Germany, over an 11-year period (2000–2011) revealed multiple capture-recapture events of 8 banded bats repeatedly displaying characteristic fungal colonization. Skin lesions of G. destructans-affected hibernating European bats are intriguingly similar to the epidermal lesions described in North American bats. Nevertheless, deep invasion of fungal hyphae into the dermal connective tissue with resulting ulceration like in North American bats was not observed in the biopsy samples of European bats; all lesions found were restricted to the layers of the epidermis and its adnexae. Two bats had mild epidermal cupping erosions as described for North American bats. The possible mechanisms for any difference in outcomes of G. destructans infection in European and North American bats still need to be elucidated
Details on bat samples regarding bat species, origin, collection date, sampled tissue, histology result and accession numbers for ITS gene sequences.
<p>Samples refer to biopsy punches from wing or uropatagial membranes. One bat from the Netherlands was euthanized and multiple strips of wing membrane were investigated. If touch imprints or tissue samples, corresponding to the histological examined sites, were taken for molecular analysis, GenBank accession numbers (Acc. No.) are included; W = wing; Urop = uropatagium; Gd = <i>Geomyces destructans</i>; str. = stratum; n.a. = not applicable; * = sequence obtained was 100% identical to all other ITS sequences of this study.</p
Development of <i>Geomyces destructans</i> colonization over 3 weeks’ time on naturally infected bats.
<p>5A+B: Two banded <i>Myotis myotis</i> with mild facial fungal patches on 5<sup>th</sup> February 2011. 5C: Recapture of these bats on 26<sup>th</sup> February 2011 with marked fungal colonization over most of the glabrous skin parts and the snout.</p
Biopsy of uropatagial membrane of <i>Myotis myotis</i> with acute inflammatory response against <i>Geomyces destructans</i>.
<p>2A (sample HU 1): Dissection microscope image of punch biopsy with distinct circular lesions (arrows), where <i>G. destructans</i> had sloughed off during preparation. 2B: Histological cross section of 2A with multiple well-demarcated intraepidermal microabscesses (arrows). Hematoxylin-eosin staining. Inset: Hyphae of <i>G. destructans</i> invading the microabscesses (arrow heads). PAS staining.</p
Skin of the muzzle of a <i>Geomyces destructans</i> infected <i>Myotis daubentonii</i> (sample NL 1).
<p>4A: Multiple hair follicles with intraluminal colonization of <i>G. destructans</i> hyphae. 4B: Wall of a hair follicle replaced by marked growth of <i>G. destructans</i> hyphae. 4C+D: Cutaneous epithelium of one nare severely colonized by <i>G. destructans</i> with mild localized suppurative inflammation limited to the epithelial layer. PAS staining.</p
Emaciated <i>Myotis myotis</i> from a hibernaculum in France covered by <i>Geomyces destructans</i>.
<p>1A: Old laceration of the left wing identified on the day of collection. 1B: Bat with improved body condition after some weeks of rehabilitation. 1C+D: Wing membranes after cleaning with notable depigmentation.</p