Toxoplasma gondii infection and liver disease: a case-control study in a Northern Mexican population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Infection with the protozoan parasite <it>Toxoplasma gondii </it>may cause liver disease. However, the impact of the infection in patients suffering from liver disease is unknown. Therefore, through a case-control study design, 75 adult liver disease patients attending a public hospital in Durango City, Mexico, and 150 controls from the general population of the same region matched by gender, age, and residence were examined with enzyme-linked immunoassays for the presence of anti-<it>Toxoplasma </it>IgG and anti-<it>Toxoplasma </it>IgM antibodies. Socio-demographic, clinical and behavioral characteristics from the study subjects were obtained.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Seroprevalence of anti-<it>Toxoplasma </it>IgG antibodies and IgG titers did not differ significantly in patients (10/75; 13.3%) and controls (16/150; 10.7%). Two (2.7%) patients and 5 (3.3%) controls had anti-<it>Toxoplasma </it>IgM antibodies (<it>P </it>= 0.57). Seropositivity to <it>Toxoplasma </it>did not show any association with the diagnosis of liver disease. In contrast, seropositivity to <it>Toxoplasma </it>in patients was associated with consumption of venison and quail meat. <it>Toxoplasma </it>seropositivity was more frequent in patients with reflex impairment (27.8%) than in patients without this impairment (8.8%) (<it>P </it>= 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that <it>Toxoplasma </it>seropositivity in patients was associated with consumption of sheep meat (OR = 8.69; 95% CI: 1.02-73.71; <it>P </it>= 0.04) and rabbit meat (OR = 4.61; 95% CI: 1.06-19.98; <it>P </it>= 0.04).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Seropositivity to <it>Toxoplasma </it>was comparable among liver disease patients and controls. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to elucidate the association of <it>Toxoplasma </it>with liver disease. Consumption of venison, and rabbit, sheep, and quail meats may warrant further investigation.</p

PP 221 IMPAIRED AORTIC ELASTIC PROPERTIES IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC GRAFT VERSUS HOST DISEASE

Objectives: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which develops as a result of the immunologic response that donor T-lymphocytes generate against host tissue following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. The aim of this study is the investigate relation between aortic wall stiffness and duration of the disease in patients with chronic GVHD. Methods: The study population included 32 patients (18 men; mean age, 36.9 +/- 12.5 years, and mean disease duration = 14.7 +/- 2.9 months) who received HSCT and was diagnosed with GVHD and 44 patients (23 men; mean age, 35.2 +/- 9.6 years, and mean disease duration = 13.5 +/- 2.4 months) who did not develop GVHD following HSCT. All patients underwent baseline echocardiography before HSCT and were followed. After approximately 10-14 months following HSCT, these patients were divided into two groups based on whether they had developed chronic GVHD, and were compared to aortic stiffness parameters and cardiac functions. Results: There was no change in basal characteristics, laboratory and echocardiographic findings, and aortic stiffness parameters in both groups before HSCT (P > 0.05). After HSCT, the mean aortic strain and distensibility values of the chronic GVHD patients were significantly lower, compared with the non-GVHD patients (9.8 +/- 3.2% vs. 12.9 +/- 5.0%, P = 0.002 and 4.1 +/- 1.5 x 10(-6) cm(2)/dyn vs. 5.3 +/- 2.1 x 10(-6) cm(2)/dyn; P = 0.005, respectively). In addition, aortic stiffness index was increased in the chronic GVHD group compared with non-GVHD group (2.7 +/- 1.7 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.8, P = 0.03). Conclusion: Aortic stiffness measurements were significantly different in chronic GVHD group compared to non-GVHD group and these findings suggested useful explanation for the potential mechanism about the development of disease. (Echocardiography 2011;28:1011-1018

Histopathological analysis of vesicular and bullous lesions in Kaposi sarcoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In this study, the clinical and morphological features of vesiculobullous lesions observed in Kaposi sarcoma are analyzed, and the features of bullous Kaposi sarcoma cases are emphasized.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 178 biopsy materials of 75 cases diagnosed as classic-type cutaneous Kaposi sarcoma were reviewed. Twenty-five cases showing vesiculobullous features were included in the study. Tumor, epidermis, dermis, and clinical data regarding these cases was evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Vesicular changes were observed in 21 (12%) out of 178 lesions of the 75 cases, while bullous changes were present in only 4 (2%). In all cases where vesicular and bullous changes were detected, tumor, epidermis, and dermis changes were similar. All cases were nodular stage KS lesions, whereas hyperkeratosis and serum exudation in the epidermis, marked edema in the dermis, and enlarged lymphatic vessels and chronic inflammatory response were observed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that changes in vascular resistance occurring during tumor progression are the most important factors comprising vesiculobullous morphology.</p> <p>Virtual slides</p> <p>The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: <url>http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1646397188748474</url></p