Ultrastructural study of the TG180 murine sarcoma cell invasion by Toxoplasma gondii: comparison between in vivo and in vitro cell cultures

Infection of non-adherent TG180 murine sarcoma cells with Toxoplasma gondii was compared, at the ultrastructural level, in both in vivo and in vitro conditions. Suspensions of 3.0 x 10(6) TG180 cells infected in vitro with 1.0 x 10(6) parasites of the RH strain were harvested between the first and 6th day post-infection and processed for transmission electron microscopy. In vivo infection was made by intraperitoneal inoculation in mice of 1.0 x 10(6) TG180 cells, that were co-inoculated with a parasite suspension at the same cell concentration. Cells were harvested 10, 20, 30 min and 24, 48 h post-inoculation and processed for transmission electron microscopy at the same conditions of the in vitro culture. It was observed TG180 murine sarcoma cells with intense and equivalent intracellular parasitism in both conditions. Host cells with parasitophorous vacuoles containing up to 16 parasites, as well as parasites undergoing mitoses or presenting a bradyzoite-like morphology, were frequently seen in both culture methods

Inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, abdominal pain and disseminated varicella-zoster virus infection: an unusual triad in a patient 6 months post mini-allogeneic peripheral stem cell transplant for chronic myeloid leukemia

Severe abdominal pain followed by inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) preceding by several days the skin manifestation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection in an immunocompromised patient is described. This is a rare presentation of a severe infection described previously only once in a chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patient 5 months post allo-BMT during immunosuppressive treatment with cyclosporin A. This is the first case described in the setting of non-myeloablative preparation with fludarabine and melphalan and followed by donor leukocyte infusion (DLI) 2 and 4 months post allo-BMT. The influence of these factors on development of VZV virus infection is discussed. We also highlight the high incidence and high mortality in VZV infection in immunocompromised patients as well as the frequent atypical presentation