Study of murine experimental Jorge Lobo's disease by analysis of peritoneal lavage cells and footpad histopathology: early versus chronic lesions.

The murine model of Jorge Lobo's disease is characterized by histological alterations similar to those seen in human disease, including a large number of viable fungi. This study evaluated the immune response of mice with early and late macroscopic lesions (5 and 13 months post-inoculation [p.i.], respectively) by the analysis of peritoneal lavage cells and footpad (FP) histology. The FP of mice were inoculated with 1 × 10(6) fungi (viability index of 41%). At 5 and 13 months p.i., the granuloma mainly consisted of macrophages and multinucleated giant cells, but a larger number of neutrophils was observed at 5 months and lymphocytes at 13 months. The number of fungi in the FP and fungal viability were 1.8 ± 1.1 × 10(6) fungi/ml and 38.5% at 5 months p.i. and 30.8 ± 11.7 × 10(6) fungi/ml and 9% at 13 months (P < .05). Higher production of H2O2, O2(-), IL-10, and TNF-α were observed at 13 months (P < .05), but there was no significant difference in the production of NO, IL-2, IL-4, IL-12 and IFN-γ. The results showed significant differences between early and late lesions and support the use of BALB/c mice for evaluation of the different phases of infection.

Study of murine experimental Jorge Lobo's disease by analysis of peritoneal lavage cells and footpad histopathology: early versus chronic lesions

The murine model of Jorge Lobo's disease is characterized by histological alterations similar to those seen in human disease, including a large number of viable fungi. This study evaluated the immune response of mice with early and late macroscopic lesions (5 and 13 months post-inoculation [p.i.], respectively) by the analysis of peritoneal lavage cells and footpad (FP) histology. The FP of mice were inoculated with 1 × 106 fungi (viability index of 41%). At 5 and 13 months p.i., the granuloma mainly consisted of macrophages and multinucleated giant cells, but a larger number of neutrophils was observed at 5 months and lymphocytes at 13 months. The number of fungi in the FP and fungal viability were 1.8 ± 1.1 × 106 fungi/ml and 38.5% at 5 months p.i. and 30.8 ± 11.7 × 106 fungi/ml and 9% at 13 months (P < .05). Higher production of H2O2, O2−, IL-10, and TNF-α were observed at 13 months (P < .05), but there was no significant difference in the production of NO, IL-2, IL-4, IL-12 and IFN-γ. The results showed significant differences between early and late lesions and support the use of BALB/c mice for evaluation of the different phases of infection

El citodiagnóstico en dermatología: alcances y limitaciones / Cytodiagnosis in dermatology: its' reaches and limitations

El citodiagnóstico, ampliamente difundido, virtualmente carece de aplicación práctica en dermatología. En parte, por las características inherentes al método y además por la particular histoarquitectura de la piel y membranas mucosas sanas y enfermas. Sin embargo, su técnica sencilla puede constituirse en un auxiliar valioso en ciertas dermatosis, en particular vesicoampollares y tumorales. Se revisa éste método diagnóstico y sus limitaciones y se rescatan aquellos casos en los que puede ofrecer utilidad

El citodiagnóstico en dermatología: alcances y limitaciones / Cytodiagnosis in dermatology: its reaches and limitations

El citodiagnóstico, ampliamente difundido, virtualmente carece de aplicación práctica en dermatología. En parte, por las características inherentes al método y además por la particular histoarquitectura de la piel y membranas mucosas sanas y enfermas. Sin embargo, su técnica sencilla puede constituirse en un auxiliar valioso en ciertas dermatosis, en particular vesicoampollares y tumorales. Se revisa éste método diagnóstico y sus limitaciones y se rescatan aquellos casos en los que puede ofrecer utilidad (AU)

Citología neural por aspiración con aguja (FNAC) en lepra

La lepra es, sobre todo, una enfermedad de los nervios periféricos y se requiere una técnica más sencilla que a biopsia neural para evaluar el compromiso neural, especialmente en lepra neurítica pura (PN). Este trabajo fue diseñado para evaluar el papel de la FNAC en el diagnóstico y clasificación de la lepra. Se efectuó un estudio prospectivo en 25 pacientes con lepra clínicamente activa y al menos un nervio periférico sensitivo engrosado. Los aspirados neurales se evalúan por May-Grunwald-Giemsa y tinción Fite. Se realizan tests de la lepromina, frotis cutáneos (SSS), y biopsias cutáneas (excepto en casos PN) y biopsias neurales y con FNAC. El FNAC neural en 23 casos (92%) proporciona aspirados y se comparan con valor diagnóstico. Basados en estos resultados, se desarrolló un criterio citológico para la interpretación de aspirados neurales y los casos se clasifican como paucibacilares (18), BB(2), LL(1) y no-diagnósticos (2). Todos los casos PN en lepra son comparables con la patología neural y el criterio citológico propuesto puede ser útil en la clasificación de los aspirados neurales.

[Evaluation of the conjunctiva of leprosy patients using impression cytology].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate ocular surface disorders (OSD) similar to cicatricial pemphigoid in leprosy patients. SUBJECT AND METHOD: Sixteen leprosy patients were examined. They were under treatment as inpatients at the Tama Zenshoen National Sanatorium, an institution for the treatment of leprosy. In addition to routine ophthalmological examinations, the patients conjunctival goblet cells were examined using impression cytology. OSD similar to ocular cicatricial pemphigoid were defined as the presence of at least two items of the following: symblepharon, cicatricial contraction of the conjunctival sac, corneal neovascularization, and palpebral entropion. RESULTS: OSD was present in 8 of the 16 patients (50%). Goblet cells were either decreased in number or absent in 7 cases(44%), and included 4 cases with OSD. Six of the 7 cases(86%) with reduced or absent goblet cells had been diagnosed as leprosy prior to 1944. CONCLUSION: Reduction or absence of goblet cells is a frequent feature in leprosy patients, particularly in longstanding ones of 56 years or more. Insufficient initial treatment appears to be a major cause of this finding.

Identification of M.leprae in conjunctiva of leprosy patients using the superior tarsal conjunctiva scrape technique.

The technique of superior tarsal conjunctiva scrape was used for identifying M.leprae in the conjunctiva in 56 leprosy patients (all of them multibacillary, some untreated and others treated with multidrug therapy). The technique of tarsal conjunctiva scrape was shown to be more suitable than conjunctival biopsy for identifying lepra bacilli. This technique is also easier to perform and has shown a statistical relation between bacilloscopical index of skin (BIsk) and bacilloscopical index of tarsal conjunctiva (BIconj) values. Thus, if the bacilli can be identified at tarsal conjunctiva we can assume greater systemic bacillary load in the patients.

Growth of macrophages obtained from various sources.

Techniques to obtain macrophages from various sources of the mouse were reported. The following sources were included: peritoneal exudate, alveolar lavage, blood leucocytes, bone marrow, spleen, liver, lungs, lymph nodes, thymus, thyroid, heart muscle, kidney, and subcutaneous cover glass implants. Human blood macrophages were also included. Long-term cinemicrographic studies revealed sustained good growth of these macrophages. Cell multiplication was detected in all of these cultures except those obtained from the peritoneal exudate. Pure cultures of macrophages were obtained from blood of the mouse and human. Macrophages obtained from other sources were accompanied by some growth of fibroblasts. Methods to eliminate the fibroblasts in cultures were discussed.