Biomarker responses of Cu-induced toxicity in European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax: Assessing oxidative stress and histopathological alterations.

A comprehensive approach to chemical accumulation and biological effects of short-term Cu exposure in juveniles of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) has been achieved. Fish were exposed to 0.01-10mgL-1 nominal Cu concentrations for 24-96h. Metal concentrations in water and gills, liver, muscle and brain tissues were studied along with oxidative stress biomarkers (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, lipid peroxidation). Induction of oxidative damage was observed in all the organs with differential antioxidant responses; gills appearing as the most sensitive from low environmentally water Cu concentrations as 0.01mgL-1. Histopathological alterations were also observed in liver and gills, even without a significant Cu accumulation. The results show that the combination of oxidative stress parameters, particularly lipid peroxidation and glutathione peroxidase activities, and histopathological alterations provide a good model fish and reliable early biomarkers for monitoring Cu pollution in seawater and might call for the protection agencies to revise the Cu environmental standards.

[Computed tomography and polymerase chain reaction in tuberculosis infection in childhood]. / Tomografía computarizada y reacción en cadena de la polimerasa en la infección tuberculosa de la infancia.

The recognition of children with tuberculous infection without disease is often difficult. Minimal active disease may be present in many cases but unrecognised on chest radiography or by microbiologic methods. We have performed computed tomography in 22 children with tuberculous infection, a normal chest radiograph and negative microbacterial culture. In 16 children we also performed DNA amplification by polymerase chain reaction in gastric aspirates. It was found that 14 of 22 (63%) infected children had enlarged lymph nodes. Adenopathies were more frequent in children less than 8 years-old and in the right paratracheal positions. Polymerase chain reaction was positive in 4 of 8 studied children with abnormal computed tomography and in none of the children with normal computed tomography. The demonstration of unrecognised active disease raises the question of the adequate treatment for the children with tuberculous infection. It is proposed that a two drug regimen would be more appropriate than isoniazid alone in children less than 8 years old.

[Type I herpes virus, HLA phenotype and Behçet disease]. / Virus herpes tipo I, fenotipo HLA y enfermedad de Behçet.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenic factors of Behçet's disease (BD) differentiate according to geographical zones. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible relation between this process and infection by type I herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) in Spain. METHODS: The prevalence of antibodies vs HSV-1 and cytomegalovirus (CMV) was studied by complement fixation in three series: A) 34 patients with BD; B) 21 with primary uveitis; C) 40 controls. HSV-1 specificity was established by ELISA. HLA typing was performed in 32 individuals from series A. RESULTS: The frequency of anti HSV-1 in A (76%) was greater (p = 0.045) than in C (55%) and B (66%). These differences were more evident when titers equal/superior to 1/64 were considered as positive, with this being a value exceeding the 97.5% percentage of the control series (A = 21%, C = 2%, p = 0.015), specially for the ocular BD subgroup (26%, p = 0.011 with respect to C). The B series did not differ from C (p = 0.88). To the contrary no differences were observed in the distribution of titers vs CMV. Although a greater frequency of anti HSV-1 was observed in HLA-B51+ the differences were not significant (p = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of evaluable titers of anti-HSV-1 is greater in patients with BD (specially with ocular involvement) than in the control series. No association was found between higher titers and HLA PB51+ phenotype.

Whipple's disease: report of cases diagnosed in our hospital.

We present here a retrospective study of nine patients diagnosed with Whipple's disease (WD) in our hospital. This report em-phasises clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, treatment and response to treatment. In our study, the disease was more frequent in males, and the most frequent presenting symptoms were arthralgia, diarrhoea and weight loss. Since the intestine is almost always affected, oral endoscopy is a useful technique for the diagnosis of WD because it shows the typical miliary pattern and aids in obtaining biopsies to show the presence of PAS-positive macrophages (a suggestive though not diagnostic finding), to show bacilli using electron microscopy, or to detect genetic material using PCR. Our patients responded well to treatment. The most frequently used antibiotic was oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for at least one year. Treatment with penicillin G and IM streptomycin for 14 days was reserved for severe cases or cases that responded poorly to treatment.

[Bacteriology in infectious and obstructive adenoid-tonsillar pathology]. / Bacteriología en patología adenoamigdalar infecciosa y obstructiva.

Infectious and obstructive adenotonsillar processes are common in the pediatric population. Bacteriological and serological studies were made of acute tonsillitis, recurrent acute tonsillitis with tonsillar hypertrophy, and tonsillar hypertrophy. Positive cultures were more frequent in tonsils than in adenoids. Pathogenic microorganisms were isolated more often in infectious than in obstructive processes. Anti-streptococcal antibody titers were raised in infectious processes, but remained within normal limits in obstructive processes. Serum total IgE levels were similar in both processes. These findings show that tonsillar hypertrophy is not related directly with microorganisms or atopic pathology.

[Infectious mononucleosis: study on hospitalized children]. / Mononucleosis infecciosa: estudio en niños hospitalizados.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the patients diagnosed of infectious mononucleosis (IM) in our institution, in order to study the symptoms and clinical evolution. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively analyse 37 hospitalized children aged between 3 months and 14 years. Diagnosed of IM by production of immunoglobulin M (IgM) to viral capsid antigen (VCA). RESULT: In our series of 37 children, 14 were less than 4 years old. Among clinical data, lymphadenopathy (86%), fever (81%) and pharyngotonsillitis (70%) were the more striking. We found jaundice only in three of the older children. Upper airways obstruction was common, and specially severe in young children. Three patients developed pneumonia during the disease course. Only ten patients produced heterophile antibodies. Two children showed dual antibody rises to Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus. Corticotherapy was used in 7 children. The complications are presented in 68% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical aspects of IM were similar to those in the young adult, and complications occur more frequently. We found lack of heterophile antibodies, more frequent in youngest.

[Neonatal meningitis by "flavobacterium meningoseptium" (author's transl)]. / Meningitis neonatal por "flavobacterium meningosepticum". Aportación de un caso.

We informed a case of neonatal meningitis caused by "Flavobacterium meningosepticum", the first to be described in our country, taking into consideration its ethioepidemiology and therapy.

[Hypoglycorrhachia in mumps meningitis (author's transl)]. / Hipoglucorraquia en meningitis urlianas.

Eighty cases of mumps meningitis are studied in children between the ages of one to seven years. The parotids were affected before, after and during the meningitis in all cases. In fifteen cases, when admitted to the hospital, levels of glucose were found in the C.S.F. equal or lower than 40 mg/100 ml. In three of them the hypoglycorrhachia persisted for a long time, as reported by other authors. The possible causes of low C.S.F. glucose values in meningitis are analized, not explanation for this phenomenon in viral meningitis is found.

[Prophylaxis in severe congenital neonatal varicella. Apropos of two cases]. / Profilaxis en la varicela neonatal congénita grave. A propósito de dos observaciones.

We present two cases of neonatal varicella in newborn twins, who had serious complications in spite of being given human anti-chickenpox immuneglobulin (zoster immuneglobulin ZIG) prophylaxis. We comment on current criteria of the prophylaxis in newborns with risk of severe neonatal varicella.