Severe meningoencephalitis co-infection due to Cryptococcus neoformans and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a child with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The incidences of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Cryptococcus neoformans in immunocompromised patients have increased, but there are few documented cases of their coexistence. We present the case of a 9-year-old female with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), treated with prednisone and cyclophosphamide, who was admitted to the emergency department with a 2-week history of fever, headache, malaise, fatigue, and diplopia 3 years after diagnosis. Physical examination showed limitation of abduction of the right eye, Kernig and Brudzinski signs, and hyporeflexia. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperdense lesions located in the caudate nucleus, and lumbar puncture showed pleocytosis, a low glucose level, and increased protein level. Cerebrospinal fluid culture identified C. neoformans and PCR detect M. tuberculosis. Treatment was started with isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, and amphotericin B. We found two similar reports in adults, but no data were found for either pediatric or SLE patients.

A new positive-pressure device for nasal foreign body removal.

OBJECTIVES: Nasal foreign bodies (FBs) are common causes of pediatric emergency consultations. The different methods for removing nasal FBs have varying levels of efficacy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new device for nasal FB removal in children. METHODS: A nasal occlusion device that uses modulated positive pressure to remove FBs was evaluated in a series of 18 patients ranging in age from 1 to 8 years diagnosed with a nasal FB during a period of 7 months. RESULTS: The device successfully removed FBs in 17 (94.4%) of the 18 patients. In 12 of the cases (66.7%), the FB was removed during the first attempt. None of the patients had complications or sequelae at the time of removal or at the follow-up visit. CONCLUSIONS: The nasal occlusion device used in this study was found to be a promising, safe, effective, and easy to use tool for FB removal in a pediatric emergency room setting.

Nueva mutación en el gen RAB27A en una familia mexicana con Síndrome de Griscelli tipo 2 / New RAB27A gene mutation in a Mexican family with type 2 Griscelli syndrome

El síndrome de Griscelli (SG) es una enfermedad autosómica recesiva, caracterizada, según las variantes clínicas, por albinismo parcial o cabello platinado, inmunodeficiencia celular, hipogammaglobulinemia, pancitopenia y severo deterioro neurológico. El diagnóstico se realiza de acuerdo a los hallazgos histopatológicos de la biopsia de piel, las manifestaciones clínicas descriptas y el análisis molecular de los genes RAB27A y MYO5A. Se describe un caso de SG, confirmado mediante estudio molecular, en una familia mexicana con antecedentes de consanguinidad tío paterno-sobrina y una hermana mayor con característiscas similares, fallecida a los 4 años. El paciente, al nacer, había tenido diagnóstico de albinismo. Se presentó a la consulta con historia de infecciones frecuentes y fiebres recurrentes sin foco y se encontró bicitopenia y síndrome mieloproliferativo. Ante la sospecha diagnóstica, se realizó una microscopía del cabello, en la que se observó distribución del pigmento en cúmulos y en los frotis hemáticos se determinó la ausencia de inclusiones intracitoplasmáticas. Se estableció el diagnóstico de SG tipo 2 y se obtuvo una muestra de ADN para el estudio molecular del gen RAB27A. El examen confirmó una mutación homocigota no comunicada previamente, por lo que se dedujo que su hermana había tenido la misma afección y que el padre era portador obligado...

Griscelli syndrome (GS) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by partial albinism or platinum hair, varying cell immunodeficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia, pancytopenia and severe neurological impairment, depending on clinical variants. The diagnosis is made with histopathological findings in skin biopsy, the clinical manifestations described and molecular analysis of the genes RAB27A and MYO5A. We describe a case of GS, confirmed by molecular study, in a Mexican family with a history of paternal uncle-niece consanguinity and a sister with similar characteristics, deceased at 4 years old. At birth, the patient was diagnosed as albinism. He presented to us with a history of frequent infections and recurrent fevers of unknown origin and a bicytopenia and a myeloproliferative syndrome were found. With diagnostic suspicion, a mycroscopic study of the hair was done and the findings were consistent with pigment distribution in clusters and in hematological smears the absence of intracytoplasmic inclusions was demonstrated. Therefore the diagnosis of GS type 2 was established and a DNA sample was obtained for RAB27A gene molecular study. The exam confirmed a previously unreported homozygous mutation in the gene RAB27A, so it was established that his sister had the same condition and the father was a forced carrier...