Anal squamous cell carcinoma in HIV/AIDS patients in the HAART era: Report of 8 cases and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Anal squamous cell carcinoma is a rare neoplasm with a higher incidence in the HIV-seropositive population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Epidemiologic, clinic, immunologic, virologic and therapeutic characteristics of 8 HIV-positive patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma were descriptively and retrospectively analyzed from 2005 to 2011. RESULTS: Median of age ofpatients was 39 years, 75% were male and 83% were men who have sex with men. Median elapsed time from HIV infection to anal cancer diagnosis was 10.5 ± 9.5 years. Anal pain and local large tumors detected by physical examination were the most common clinical manifestations; pain with or without itching was marginally correlated with poor survival. The median of CD4 T-cell countfor the whole study group was 330 cells/µL. At the time ofthe neoplasm diagnosis, CD4 T-cell count was more than 200 cell/µL in 62.5% of the patients. In the descriptive analysis, higher CD4 T-cell count was significantly associated with a prolonged survival. In the overall population, 71% were receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and all of them had undetectable viral load at the time ofneoplasm diagnosis. HAART was correlated with better survival in the overallpopulation. Histopathologic examination showed that 4 cases (50%) had in situ carcinoma and 4 patients (50%) had diagnosis of invasive anal carcinoma. One patient underwent surgical tumorectomy plus HAART, 2 patients received chemotherapy plus HAART and 3 patients were treated with fractionated radiotherapy plus systemic chemotherapy plus HAART. One patient died without the possibility of treatment due to his poor clinical condition and for one patient was no available data. After a follow up of 2 years, overall survival rate was 71%. CONCLUSION: A carefully evaluation of anal infiltrative or tumoral lesions is necessary to achieve an early diagnosis and to improve the survival in this kind of patients.

[Infection due to Strongyloides stercoralis: epidemiological, clinical, diagnosis findings and outcome in 30 patients]. / Infección por Strongyloides stercoralis: estudio epidemiológico, clínico, diagnóstico y terapéutico en 30 pacientes.

BACKGROUND: Strongyloides stercoralis is a nematode parasite, which is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions. Infection usually remains asymptomatic, but in immunocompromised hosts severe and life-threatening manifestations such as hyperinfection syndrome and disseminated disease might occur. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the epidemiological and clinical characteristics, including HIV co-infection, microbiological findings, and outcome in 30 patients with strongyloidiasis, who attended in the Infectious Diseases F. J. Muñiz Hospital in Buenos Aires from January 2004 to December 2008. RESULTS: The study included 20 men and 10 women with an average age of 33 years. HIV co-infection was present in 21 patients (70%) with a median CD4 T cell count of 50 cells/mm³ (range 7-355) (average 56 cells/mm³). Among HIV negative patients the following comorbidities were detected: tuberculosis (n = 3) and chronic alcoholism, leprosy treated with corticosteroids, immunosuppressive treatment for psoriasis, and diabetes mellitus (each in one patient). Two patients did not have any predisposing diseases or immunosuppressive treatments. Seventeen patients presented with diarrhea and were classified as chronic intestinal strongyloidiasis (57%), asymptomatic infection with peripheral eosinophilia was diagnosed in 7 (23%), and 6 patients (20%) developed hyperinfection syndrome. Seventeen patients (57%) presented peripheral eosinophilia. Diagnosis was achieved by direct visualization of larvae in feces by Baermann technique (n = 20), by multiple stool smears examinations (n = 2), by combination of both (n = 1), by visualization of the filariform larvae in duodenal fluid and stool (n = 1), and in fecal and bronchoalveolar lavage specimens (n = 6). Overall mortality in this series was 20% (6/30). There was no significant correlation between age and mortality. A significant inverse correlation between the survival rate and CD4 T-cell count as well as eosinophilia was observed. There was also a significant correlation between HIV co-infection and mortality. Twenty-two patients responded favorably to treatment with ivermectin.

Ramsay-Hunt syndrome: Report of two cases with identification of the varicella zoster virus genome in cerebrospinal fluid / Síndrome de Ramsay-Hunt: a propósito de dos casos en que se identificó el genoma del virus de la varicela-zóster en líquido cefalorraquídeo

Like other alpha-herpesviruses, the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) remains latent in the neural ganglia following the primary varicella infection. The reactivation of the VZV in the dorsal root ganglia results in herpes zoster. Herpes zoster eruption is characterized by localized cutaneous lesions and neuralgic pain mostly in older and immunocompromised persons, especially those living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The most commonly reported complications include VZV pneumonia, meningitis, encephalitis, and hepatitis. Several neurologic syndromes have been described associated with herpes zoster localized in cranial areas including peripheral nerve palsies and the Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, which has a varied clinical presentation and is the second most common cause of peripheral facial paralysis. Facial paralysis in this syndrome occurs in 60 to 90% of cases and it may precede or appear after the cutaneous lesions with a worse prognosis than idiopathic Bell paralysis. Here we present two cases of herpes zoster from the geniculate ganglia with peripheral facial paralysis that appeared simultaneously with vesicular herpetic otic lesions (multimetameric Ramsay-Hunt syndrome). In the two cases, amplifiable varicella-zoster viral DNA was found in the cerebrospinal fluid by RT-PCR Multiplex.

Como los otros herpesvirus alfa, el virus de la varicela-zóster (VZV) permanece en estado de latencia en los ganglios neurales después de la infección primaria (varicela). La reactivación de una infección latente por VZV en los ganglios de la raíz dorsal, produce el herpes zóster. La erupción que este provoca se caracteriza por lesiones cutáneas metaméricas que se acompañan de dolor neurítico y comprometen con mayor frecuencia a ancianos y sujetos inmunocomprometidos, en especial, aquellos infectados con el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (HIV). Las complicaciones que se observan en esta población de pacientes incluyen neumonía, hepatitis y compromiso del sistema nervioso central (meningitis y encefalitis). Varios síndromes clínicos se asocian con el herpes zóster de localización craneal, incluida la parálisis facial periférica y el síndrome de Ramsay-Hunt, el cual constituye la segunda causa de parálisis facial periférica y tiene una gran variedad de presentaciones clínicas. La parálisis facial se presenta en 60 a 90 % de los casos de síndrome de Ramsay-Hunt, puede preceder o aparecer después de las lesiones cutáneas y tiene peor pronóstico que la parálisis de Bell. Se describen aquí dos casos de herpes zóster del ganglio geniculado, con parálisis facial periférica que coincidió con la aparición de las lesiones cutáneas vesiculosas en el conducto auditivo externo y el pabellón auricular (síndrome de Ramsay-Hunt multimetamérico). En ambos casos, se identificó el genoma del VZV mediante PCR en el líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR).

[AIDS related lymphomas: Histopathological subtypes and association with Epstein Barr virus and Human Herpes virus type-8]. / Linfomas asociados con la infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana: subtipos histológicos y asociación con los virus de Epstein Barr y Herpes-8.

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) of the B-cell type are the second most common neoplasm among patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and AIDS. Here, we evaluated 48 cases of AIDS-related lymphomas (ARL) diagnosed at the Histopathological Division of the Instituto de Investigaciones Hematológicas of the National Academy of Medicine. Five were females and 43 were males with a median of age of 37 years at the time of the diagnosis. Micrometer sections were prepared and stained with hematoxilin-eosin; immunohistochemical examination for the presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was carried out in 48/48 cases. Additionally, biotinilated oligonucleotides were used to determine the presence of DNA of the Human Herpes virus type-8 (HHV-8) in 14/14 biopsy smears corresponding to plasmablastic lymphomas (PL). All were fenotype B cell lymphomas with an aggressive course and advanced neoplasm disease at the time of diagnosis. Virological findings showed the strong association between EBV and AIDS-related NHL. According to the histopathological subtype, the EBV genome was detected in 16/21 (76%) diffuse large B cell lymphomas, 1/3 Burkitt lymphoma and 3/4 (75%) of primary central nervous system lymphomas. Globally, EBV genome was detected in 20/28 NHL of this series. Detection of HHV-8 was negative in all cases of PL. Hodgkin lymphoma were more frequent in males 18/20 (90%), with an aggressive clinical course and a significant predominance of the subtypes associated with worse prognosis (90% of cases). We detected a significant association between EBV and HL (90% of cases). We consider that all cases of AIDS related lymphomas should be assessed for the presence of EBV because its presence may play a role in the prognosis.

[Stereotactic brain biopsy in the diagnosis of focal brain lesions in AIDS]. / La biopsia estereotáctica en el diagnóstico de las lesiones cerebrales focales en sida.

Focal brain lesions are frequent complications among HIV/AIDS patients. Between January 1999 and May 2007, 83 procedures of stereotactic brain biopsies in HIV/AIDS patients with focal cerebral lesions were carried out. The inclusion criteria were lack of response to current diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for brain lesions. All the samples underwent microscopic evaluation during surgery to assert valid material and delayed histopathological and microbiological examination. Forty one patient images demonstrated multiple brain lesions. Sixty two cases had supratentorial localization, 4 lesions were located beneath the tentorium and 17 showed both settings. Fifty one lesions presented peripheral enhancement after contrast computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A 100% of useful samples recovery was achieved. Progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy (PML) was the most frequent diagnosis (29%), followed by primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) (23%), and toxoplasmosis (15.7%). Statistically significant association was observed between histopathological diagnosis and lesion location and between those and peripheral ring enhancement images. The positive diagnostic rate of the invasive procedure was 90.3%. The morbidity/mortality rate was 2.4% in this series. In conclusion, the stereotactic brain biopsy ordered early during the patient's evolution showed a good performance in order to achieve a prompt and accurate diagnosis and to guide the therapeutic scheme in these AIDS patients with focal brain lesions.

[Ileocolic intussusception due to a large B cell lymphoma in a patient with AIDS]. / Invaginación ileocecal como forma de presentación de linfoma no Hodgkin en un paciente con SIDA.

Adult intussusception is rare. Here, we describe a case of an AIDS adult patient who developed an ileocolic intussusception secondary to a large B cell lymphoma of the cecum. Surgical findings included the ileon free of the tumor and invaginated within the cecum with infiltrating neoplasm. Surgical treatment included the resection of the right hemicolon because of the tumor, located in the cecum, causing intussusception. The English and Spanish literature is reviewed.

Soft tissue abscess and lymphadenitis due to Mycobacterium avium complex as an expression of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome after a second scheme of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is an atypical and unexpected reaction related to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients. IRIS includes an atypical response to an opportunistic pathogen (generally Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium complex, cytomegalovirus and herpes varicella-zoster), in patients responding to HAART with a reduction of plasma viral load and evidence of immune restoration based on increase of CD4+ T-cell count. We reported a case of a patient with AIDS which, after a first failure of HAART, developed a subcutaneous abscess and supraclavicular lymphadenitis as an expression of IRIS due to Mycobacterium avium complex after starting a second scheme of HAART.

Neurosífilis con neuropatía óptica y auditiva simultáneas en un paciente VIH positivo / Neurosyphilis with simultaneous optic and auditive involvement in an HIV-positive patient

Introducción: a partir del año 2000, los médicos han asistido a un retorno de la sífilis vinculado a prácticas sexuales no protegidas y con parejas múltiples, en especial entre hombres que tienen sexo con hombres. La coinfección Treponema pallidum/virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) modifica tanto la historia natural de la sífilis, incrementando la incidencia de neurosífilis temprana, como la respuesta al tratamiento con penicilina. Métodos: un paciente varón, peruano, de 36 años, seropositivo para VIH, consulta por dis-minución de la agudeza visual en ojo derecho, pérdida de la audición, tinnitus, mareos y vértigo. Refería antecedentes de sífilis en los 2 años previos. Resultados: el examen oftalmológico efectuado al paciente mostró células en el segmento anterior del ojo derecho. El fondo de ojo reveló la existencia de inflamación del nervio óptico asociada con panuveítis. En base a los hallazgos clínicos, los valores de VDRL en suero y líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR) se diagnosticó neurosífilis (NS) con neuritis óptica, panuveítis y otosífilis en un paciente coinfectado por VIH. El paciente fue tratado con penicilina G sódica intravenosa, 4 millones de UI cada 4 horas, durante 2 semanas con buena respuesta clínica. Discusión: el compromiso de los pares craneales óptico y auditivo puede representar la manifestación de una NS temprana, en especial, en el contexto de un paciente VIH positivo. De acuerdo con nuestro conocimiento, este sería el segundo caso publicado de compromiso simultáneo del nervio óptico y del aparato vestíbulo-coclear en un paciente con NS.

Introduction: from the 2000s, the physicians experienced a return of syphilis, which may be related to unrestricted sexual behaviour with unprotected contact between multiple partners, especially in men who have sex with men. Concurrent infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) alters the natural history of syphilis by increasing the frequency of early neurosyphilis and the response to penicillin. Methods: a 36-year-old Peruvian man, seropositive for HIV infection, was admitted to the hospital with decreased visual acuity in his right eye, hearing loss, tinnitus, buzzing, and vertigo. He referred history of syphilis in the previous two years. Results: oph-thalmological examination was performed. Ocular anterior segment examination of the right eye showed cells. Fundoscopy revealed swelling of the right optic disc with panuveitis. Diagnosis of neurosyphilis (NS) with optic and ear neuritis, and concurrent HIV infection was made, based on the clinical manifestations and serum and cerebrospinal VDRL titers. The patient was treated with intravenous penicillin (four million units every four hours for two weeks) with an excellent clinical response. Discussion: simultaneous optic and auditive cranial nerve involvement can manifest early neurosyphilis (NS) and HIV coinfection. This is the second report to describe the simultaneous occurrence of syphilitic optic neuritis with vestibulocochlear nerve involvement.

Enfermedad de Castleman multicéntrica en pacientes HIV positivos. Reporte de dos casos y revisión de la literatura / Multicentric Astleman disease in HIV positive patients. Two cases. Report and literature review

La enfermedad de Castleman (EC) es un proceso linfoproliferativo poco frecuente que se caracteriza por hiperplasia de los ganglios linfáticos. Existen dos variedades histológicas bien diferenciadas la hialino-vascular y la plasmocelular, que a su vez pueden ser localizadas o multicéntricas. La forma hialino-vascular suele ser asintomática y localizada en mediastino mientras que la plasmocelular se presenta frecuentemente con signo-sintomatología sistémica y suele ser difusa o multicéntrica. En el contexto de la enfermedad debida al virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH), la EC se asocia en su patogenia a la infección por el herpes virus humano tipo-8 (HHV-8). La mayoría de los casos corresponden a la variante hialino-vascular (80/90%) en tanto un pequeño porcentaje (10/20%) son de la variante plasmocelular. En algunos pacientes, el patrón histopatológico puede ser mixto. Se describen dos casos de enfermedad de Castleman multicéntrica HHV8- positiva en pacientes con enfermedad HIV/SIDA.

Castleman's disease (CD), is a rare hematological condition of uncertain etiology, involves a massive proliferation of lymphoid tissues and typically presents as mediastinal masses. This is considered as a distinct type of lymphoproliferative disorder associated with inflammatory symptoms. In the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, CD is associated with human herpesvirus-8 (HHV8) infection. Most cases of CD represent either the hyaline vascular variant (80­90% of cases) or the plasma cell variant (10­20%); a small percentage present with a mixed histologic appearance. Two cases of Castleman's disease associated with HHV-8 and HIV/AIDS infection are described

Síndrome de Ramsay-Hunt: a propósito de dos casos en que se identificó el genoma del virus de la varicela-zóster en líquido cefalorraquídeo / Ramsay-Hunt syndrome: Report of two cases with identification of the varicella zoster virus genome in cerebrospinal fluid

Resumen | Como los otros herpesvirus alfa, el virus de la varicela-zóster (VZV) permanece en estado de latencia en los ganglios neurales después de la infección primaria (varicela). La reactivación de una infección latente por VZV en los ganglios de la raíz dorsal, produce el herpes zóster. La erupción que este provoca se caracteriza por lesiones cutáneas metaméricas que se acompañan de dolor neurítico y comprometen con mayor frecuencia a ancianos y sujetos inmunocomprometidos, en especial, aquellos infectados con el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (HIV). Las complicaciones que se observan en esta población de pacientes incluyen neumonía, hepatitis y compromiso del sistema nervioso central (meningitis y encefalitis). Varios síndromes clínicos se asocian con el herpes zóster de localización craneal, incluida la parálisis facial periférica y el síndrome de Ramsay-Hunt, el cual constituye la segunda causa de parálisis facial periférica y tiene una gran variedad de presentaciones clínicas. La parálisis facial se presenta en 60 a 90 % de los casos de síndrome de Ramsay-Hunt, puede preceder o aparecer después de las lesiones cutáneas y tiene peor pronóstico que la parálisis de Bell. Se describen aquí dos casos de herpes zóster del ganglio geniculado, con parálisis facial periférica que coincidió con la aparición de las lesiones cutáneas vesiculosas en el conducto auditivo externo y el pabellón auricular (síndrome de Ramsay-Hunt multimetamérico). En ambos casos, se identificó el genoma del VZV mediante PCR en el líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR).

Abstract | Like other alpha-herpesviruses, the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) remains latent in the neural ganglia following the primary varicella infection. The reactivation of the VZV in the dorsal root ganglia results in herpes zoster. Herpes zoster eruption is characterized by localized cutaneous lesions and neuralgic pain mostly in older and immunocompromised persons, especially those living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The most commonly reported complications include VZV pneumonia, meningitis, encephalitis, and hepatitis. Several neurologic syndromes have been described associated with herpes zoster localized in cranial areas including peripheral nerve palsies and the Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, which has a varied clinical presentation and is the second most common cause of peripheral facial paralysis. Facial paralysis in this syndrome occurs in 60 to 90% of cases and it may precede or appear after the cutaneous lesions with a worse prognosis than idiopathic Bell paralysis. Here we present two cases of herpes zoster from the geniculate ganglia with peripheral facial paralysis that appeared simultaneously with vesicular herpetic otic lesions (multimetameric Ramsay-Hunt syndrome). In the two cases, amplifiable varicella-zoster viral DNA was found in the cerebrospinal fluid by RT-PCR Multiplex.

Primary pulmonary AIDS-related lymphoma.

Extranodal involvement is common in lymphomas associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). However, primary pulmonary AIDS-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is very rare and only few reports were published in the medical literature. Clinical presentation is nonspecific, with "B" and respiratory symptoms. Also, patients were with advanced immunodeficiency at the time of diagnosis. Generally, chest radiography showed peripheral nodules or cavitary masses. Primary pulmonary lymphoma associated with AIDS is generally a high-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Epstein-Barr virus is strongly associated with the pathogenesis of these tumors. We report a patient with AIDS and primary pulmonary lymphoma which clinical presentation was a total atelectasis of the left lung.

[Hip tuberculosis. Case report and literature review]. / Tuberculosis de la cadera. Presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

Osteoarticular tuberculosis is a rare complication of the disseminated disease and appears, in different series, between 10% to 20%, trough hematogenous spread. Tuberculosis hip involvement is less than 10% of all the cases of osteoarticular tuberculosis. The diagnosis is confirmed by the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in samples obtained from joint fluid or synovial membrane biopsy by direct examination and culture, in order to perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Here, we present a patient infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who developed a disseminated tuberculosis with affection of the hip in the context of the immunodeficiency related with the retrovirus.

MENINGOENCEPHALITIS DUE TO VARICELLA ZOSTER VIRUS IN AIDS PATIENTS. REPORT OF ELEVEN CASES AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.

Neurological complications of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are infrequent and include various clinical pictures. The reactivation of VZV in patients with AIDS is generally associated with an acute and severe meningoencephalitis. We report the epidemiological, clinical and virological data from 11 consecutive patients with diagnosis of HIV/AIDS and central nervous system (CNS) involvement due to VZV. All patients were male and seropositive for HIV. The primary risk factor for HIV infection was unprotected sexual contact. The median of CD4 T cell count was 142 cells/µL. All of them presented signs and symptoms of meningoencephalitis. Six patients (54.5%) presented pleocytosis; they all showed high CSF protein concentrations with a median of 2.1 g/dL. Polymerase chain reaction of cerebrospinal fluid specimen was positive for VZV in all of them and they were treated with intravenous acyclovir at doses of 30/mg/kg/day for 21 days. Overall survival was 63% (7 of 11 patients). The four dead patients had low cellular counts in CSF, below the median of this parameter. VZV should be included among the opportunistic pathogens that can involve CNS with a diffuse and severe meningoencephalitis in patients with advanced HIV/AIDS disease.

Decreased recovery of replication-competent HIV-1 from peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived monocyte/macrophages of HIV-positive patients after 3 years on highly active antiretroviral therapy.

We studied the release of p24 antigen from peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived monocyte/macrophages obtained from 13 HIV-positive patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Although HIV-infected monocyte/macrophages were detected in 80% of patients after 36 months of continuous treatment, additional exposure to HAART reduced the chance of detecting HIV-releasing monocyte/macrophages. Therefore, after more than 3 years of HAART, recently infected monocytes may play a less important role as a source of emerging HIV-1 upon HAART interruption.

Disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis with peripleuritis in an AIDS patient.

Paracoccidioidomycosis is one of the most frequent systemic and endemic mycoses of Latin America caused by a dimorphic fungus. In AIDS patients, paracoccidioidomycosis appears as a severe and disseminated disease with a wide spectrum of clinical findings. The CD4 counts are usually less than 200 cell/mu L. We present a case of disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis with peripleuritis and subcutaneous abscesses on the chest wall as initial manifestation of AIDS. In endemic countries, paracoccidioidomycosis should be included as an opportunistic infection in AIDS.

[Avascular osteonecrosis of femoral head and neck in an AIDS patient]. / Necrosis avascular de cabeza y cuello de fémur en un paciente con sida.

Avascular osteonecrosis (AON) has increased in the last few years in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). The most commonly affected bone is the femoral head and neck. Frequently these bilateral and clinical findings include moderate to severe pain and functional impotence of the affected joints. The etiology is multifactorial and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) with protease inhibitors (PI) is probably related to its development. In the evolution, a total hip replacement may be needed. We present an hemophilic patient with AIDS, who developed a bilateral AON of the femoral head and neck during HAART.

[Acute necrotizing myelitis in an AIDS patient]. / Mielitis aguda necrotizante en un paciente con SIDA.

In the setting of HIV infection, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and herpes simplex virus type 1-2 (HSV 1-2) can affect both the central and peripheral nervous systems. These agents can involve the spinal cord and produce a necrotizing transverse myelitis. This usually occurs in AIDS patients with severe immunodeficiency: CD4+ lymphocyte counts typically are less than 50 cell/microL. The clinical presentation, CSF and imaging studies can provide a high level of suspicion diagnosis. Prompt initiation of antiviral specific drugs is essential. We report a patient with an acute necrotizing myelitis (cauda equina syndrome) secondary to CMV and HSV infections.

[Splenic artery embolization for the treatment of hypersplenism in hemophilic, HIV-1 and HCV seropositive patients]. / Embolización de la arteria esplénica como tratamiento del hiperesplenismo en pacientes hemofílicos, HIV-1 y HCV seropositivos.

Thrombocytopenia is an important and common hematological abnormality in patients with HIV-1/HCV coinfection. Splenomegaly is a frequent finding in these patients and usually causes hypersplenism and thrombocytopenia. We analyzed the clinical results of a minimal invasive treatment (splenic artery embolization) for thrombocytopenia secondary to hypersplenism and refractory to other therapies in two hemophiliac patients, HIV seropositive and with cirrhosis due to chronic HCV infection. The results suggest that splenic artery embolization is a safe, relatively atraumatic and effective method for the treatment of splenomegaly and hypersplenism in selected patients with HIV-1/HCV coinfection.

Anal squamous carcinoma: a new AIDS-defining cancer? Case report and literature review.

Squamous anal cell carcinoma is a rare malignancy that represents the 1.5% to 2% of all the lower digestive tract cancers. However, an increased incidence of invasive anal carcinoma is observed in HIV-seropositive population since the widespread of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Human papillomavirus is strongly associated with the pathogenesis of anal cancer. Anal intercourse and a high number of sexual partners appear to be risk factors to develop anal cancer in both sexes. Anal pain, bleeding and a palpable lesion in the anal canal are the most common clinical features. Endo-anal ultrasound is the best diagnosis method to evaluate the tumor size, the tumor extension and the infiltration of the sphincter muscle complex. Chemoradiotherapy plus antiretroviral therapy are the recommended treatments for all stages of localized squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal in HIV-seropositive patients because of its high rate of cure. Here we present an HIV patient who developed a carcinoma of the anal canal after a long time of HIV infection under highly active antiretroviral therapy with a good virological and immunological response.

[Bacteremia by Kocuria rosea in an AIDS patient]. / Bacteriemia por Kocuria rosea en un paciente con SIDA.

Kocuria rosea is an uncommon pathogen may cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patient. We report a HIV patient, who presented bacteremia caused by Kocuria rosea. He was successfully treated with vancomycin and by catheter removal.