Epstein-Barr virus-specific CD8(+) T lymphocytes from diffuse large B cell lymphoma patients are functionally impaired.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a persistent virus with oncogenic capacity that has been implicated in the development of aggressive B cell lymphomas, primarily in immunosuppressed individuals, although it can be present in immunocompetent individuals. Changes in the function and clonal diversity of T lymphocytes might be implied by viral persistence and lymphoma development. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the frequency, phenotype, function and clonotypical distribution of EBV-specific T cells after peripheral blood stimulation with a virus lysate in newly diagnosed patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) aged more than 50 years without prior histories of clinical immunosuppression compared with healthy controls. Our results showed impaired EBV-specific immune responses among DLBCL patients that were associated primarily with decreased numbers of central and effector memory CD8(+) T lymphocytes. In contrast to healthy controls, only a minority of the patients showed CD4(+)/tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α(+) T cells expressing T cell receptor (TCR)-Vß17 and CD8(+)/TNF-α(+) T cells with TCR-Vß5·2, Vß9 and Vß18 in response to EBV. Notably, the production of TNF-α was undetectable among TCR-Vß5·3(+), Vß11(+), Vß12(+), Vß16(+) and Vß23(+) CD8(+) T cells. In addition, we observed decreased numbers of CD4(+)/TNF-α(+) and CD8(+)/TNF-α(+), CD8(+)/interleukin (IL)-2(+) and CD8(+)/TNF-α(+)/IL-2(+) T lymphocytes in the absence of T cells capable of producing TNF-α, IL-2 and IFN-γ after EBV stimulation simultaneously. Moreover, DLBCL patients displayed higher IL-10 levels both under baseline conditions and after EBV stimulation. These findings were also observed in patients with positive EBV viral loads. Prospective studies including a large number of patients are needed to confirm these findings.

Malaria in a liver transplant recipient: a case report.

Malaria is an exotic complication in liver transplants patients. It can be acquired either by transfusion of blood products or through the transplanted organ. Infections caused by Plasmodium spp are unusual in liver transplants; to date, only four cases have been reported in the literature. Herein we have presented a case of Plasmodium vivax in a liver transplant patient. This diagnosis must be excluded in febrile transplant patients in endemic areas, especially during the first 2 months. An epidemiological history relevant for malaria both in the donor and in the recipient must be routinely included with screening tests.

Teratomas congénitos en el HospitalUniversitario San Ignacio, serie de casos / Congenital teratomas at the Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, case series

Los tumores en niños tienen menor incidencia que en los adultos. Los tumores en fetos y en recién nacidos son aún más raros. Se reporta una serie de tres tumores germinales,uno en un recién nacido vivo, uno en un feto mortinato y el tercero presente en las membranas ovulares. Se revisa la información disponible sobre los tumores en este grupo de edad...

Tumor incidence in children is lower than in adults. In fetuses and newborns it is even rarer. We report a series of three cases of germ cell tumors; the first one present in anewborn child, the second one in a stillborn, and a third tumor present in placenta membranes. We also present the results of a review of the literature of similar cases of tumors...

Prueba logoaudiométrica IU-PLI / UI-PLI logo-audiometric test

El proposito de este estudio fue estimar la validez de contenido y la confiabilidad por mitades de la prueba de logoaudiometria adaptada al español colombiano para la poblacion infantil de Santafe de Bogota de 3.5 a 10 años basada en la prueba Northwestern University Children's Perception of Speech: NU-CHIPS (Elliot y Katz, 1980). Esta investigacion se inscribe en el area de la medicion audiologica y adopto un diseño de tipo descriptivo correlacional. Se tomo una muestra de 64 niños, 47 con audición normal y 17 con hipoacusia neurosensorial bilateral entre moderada y severa. La prueba fue aplicada a esta poblacion en un contexto cerrado de respuesta. Los resultados obtenidos sugirieron un alto grado de validez mediante el balance fonetico del instrumento a traves de expertos y de la aplicacion empirica de la prueba piloto y la confiabilidad por la correlacion existente entre las variables analizadas a traves de las pruebas estadisticas correlacionales Spearman Brown y Kuder Richardson 20, los cuales no arrojaron diferencias significativas en la ejecucion de la prueba por los sujetos con relacion a los datos normativos de la prueba originalel propósito