Caterpillar Envenomation (Lepidopterism) in a Panamanian Jungle: About a Case.

Caterpillar venom has the potential to cause acute pain and systemic symptoms in individuals seeking medical attention in the jungles of Panama. Although this is not an obligatory notifiable disease, the hazards associated with exposure to this animal are widely recognized within the local community. Here, we present a case of a patient who sought medical attention after being rescued from a river in a Panamanian jungle after feeling acute pain in an upper extremity associated with shortness of breath and how tropical medicine teleconsult allowed for quick identification of the cause and assisted in the management. About his case, we examine the phenomenon of caterpillar envenomation and suggest that further research is needed to assess the potential impact of climate change on this disease. Of particular concern is the likelihood of an increase in contact accidents. We recommend that scientists and public health officials work together to understand the mechanisms of this disease better and to develop effective strategies for prevention and treatment. Our analysis underscores the importance of ongoing monitoring and surveillance to ensure we are prepared for future outbreaks.

Isthmin 2 is decreased in preeclampsia and highly expressed in choriocarcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Isthmin 2 (ISM2) is a protein which expression in humans is almost specific to the placenta. There is no previous report in the literature that investigated this protein in preeclampsia or choriocarcinoma. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional study that included women with preeclampsia, gestational hypertension and normotensive pregnancy. We measured serum concentrations of ISM2 protein and performed immunohistochemistry in placenta tissues. We also performed immunohistochemistry of ISM2 in samples from choriocarcinoma and compare with lung, prostate, colon, gastric and breast cancers. RESULTS: A total of 81 patients were included, 30 with preeclampsia, 21 with gestational hypertension and 30 controls. The ISM2 protein was found to be decreased in patients with preeclampsia compared to the control group (P = 0.036). These results were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. We also found that ISM2 protein was overexpressed in choriocarcinoma. DISCUSSION: Taken together, our results suggest an angiogenic function for ISM2. Its serum level decreased in our patients with preeclampsia could be reflecting that it is involved in the pathogenesis of the disease; on the other hand its high expression in choriocarcinoma, indicates that ISM2 may play an active role in the angiogenesis of this and other cancers.

Virus herpes humano 8: detección en células mononucleares de sangre periférica de pacientes con la infección por el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana: con/sin sarcoma de kaposi / Human herpes virus 8: detection in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection with/without kaposi sarcoma

El ácido nucleico proveniente del virus herpes humano 8 esta presente en las células mononucleares de sangre periférica de un 50% a 90% de los pacientes con sarcoma de Kaposi, y 7% a 10% de los pacientes con la infección por el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana sin sarcoma de Kaposi. Nosotros estudiamos la prevalencia del virus herpes humano 8 en células mononucleares de sangre periférica provenientes de pacientes con la infección por el virus inmunodeficiencia humana con/sin sarcoma de Kaposi. Setenta y seis pacientes con la infección por el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana sin sarcoma de Kaposi y 15 pacientes con sarcoma de Kaposi asociado a la infección por el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana se incluyeron en el estudio. El ácido desoxirribonucleico se extrajo utilizando el método de fenol/cloroformo. El ácido desoxirribonucleico fue amplificado a través de la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa utilizando las sondas KS1 y KS2 específicas para el ORF26 del virus herpes humano 8. Las reacciones se consideraron positivas sólo si los productos de la región esperada de 233 pares de bases. Ninguno de los pacientes con la infección por el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana mostró la presencia de virus herpes humano 8 en las células mononucleares de sangre periférica, y después de un seguimiento de 2 años, ninguno ha desarrollado sarcoma de Kaposi. El virus herpes humano 8 se detectó en las células mononucleares de sangre periférica del 20% de los pacientes con sarcoma de Kaposi. Todos los pacientes pertenecían al grupo de "altó riesgo", y eran varones homosexuales. Ninguno recibió transfusiones sanguíneas. Estos datos preliminares sugieren que la prevalencia del virus herpes humano 8 en las células mononucleares de sangre periférica de los pacientes con la infección por el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana con/sin sarcoma de Kaposi es probablemente baja en comparación con pacientes provenientes de Estados Unidos y Europa

The nucleic acid of human herpes virus 8 is present in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of between 50% and 90% of Kaposi sarcoma patients, 7% and 10% of human immunodeficiency virus infected patients without Kaposi sarcoma. We studied the prevalence of human herpes virus 8 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection with/without Koposi sarcoma. Seventy-six patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection without Kaposi sarcoma associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection were included. Desoxibonucleico acid was extracted from the sample by a standard phenol/chloroform extraction procedure. Desoxirribonucleico acid was polimerase chain reaction amplified using Kaposi sarcoma 1 and Kaposi sarcoma 2 primers specific for the human herpes virus 8 ORF26. Polimerase chain reaction were considered positive only if the polimerase chain reaction products hybridized in the expected 233 by region. None of human immunodeficiency virus infected patients showed the presence of human herpes virus 8 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and after a follow-up of 2 years, none has developed Kaposi sarcoma. Human herpes virus 8 was detected in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 20% of patients with Kaposi sarcoma. All patients belonged to a "high risk group", were male and homosexuals. None received blood transfusion. These preliminary data suggest that the prevalence of human herpes virus 8 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from human immunodeficiency virus infected patients with/withoul Kaposi sarcoma is probably low in comparison with patients from EE.UU and Europe

Human endometriosis is associated with plasma cells and overexpression of B lymphocyte stimulator.

Endometriosis affects 10-20% of women of reproductive age and is associated with pelvic pain and infertility, and its pathogenesis is not well understood. We used genomewide transcriptional profiling to characterize endometriosis and found that it exhibits a gene expression signature consistent with an underlying autoimmune mechanism. Endometriosis lesions are characterized by the presence of abundant plasma cells, many of which produce IgM, and macrophages that produce BLyS/BAFF/TNFSF13B, a member of the TNF superfamily implicated in other autoimmune diseases. B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) protein was found elevated in the serum of endometriosis patients. These observations suggest a model for the pathology of endometriosis where BLyS-responsive plasma cells interact with retrograde menstrual tissues to give rise to endometriosis lesions.