[Congenital toxoplasmosis and seroconversion at the end of pregnancy: clinical observations]. / Toxoplasmoses congénitales et séroconversions de fin de grossesse: observations cliniques.

We report seven cases of subclinical congenital toxoplasmosis secondary to maternal primary infections. Mothers were infected between two and four weeks prior to delivery. The diagnostic criteria of congenital infections included: IgM antibody (Ab) (1 case); IgM and IgA Ab (1 case); a real IgG seroconversion in the neonatal and postnatal samples (3 cases); persistence of IgG Ab beyond 6 months post-delivery (2 cases). A treatment was initiated, including a combination of pyrimethamine + sulfadiazine (6 cases); trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole (1 case). This retrospective study suggests that it is important to screen the non-immune pregnant women until delivery. We confirmed the usefulness of a combination of isotypes of antibodies for the accurate assessment of congenital infection. Finally, infected infants have to be treated and monitored clinically and immunologically during the first year of life.

Atypical lymphohistiocytic bone tumour (osseous variant of Rosai-Dorfman disease?).

A single osteolytic bone tumour with a cellular composition similar to that of the extra-nodal localization of Sinus Histiocytosis with Massive Lymphadenopathy although with greater cellular atypicality is described. This histological similarity suggests the possible occurrence of isolated bone involvement of Rosai-Dorfman disease, with atypical cytology but benign evolution, which has not been reported in the literature.

The therapeutic efficacy of human immunoglobulins as a function of their in vitro antibody activity toward circulating antigens in children with recurrent infections of the upper respiratory tract.

Children with recurrent infections of the upper respiratory tract were treated by injections of human immunoglobulins. Of the 58 children who were followed after treatment, the clinical outcome and the results of laboratory tests, i.e. serum protein profile and level of circulating immune complexes, were improved in 33. The improvement was significantly related to the in vitro antibody reaction of the immunoglobulin batch that was used for injections with unidentified antigens present, before treatment, in the patient's serum.

beta+-Thalassaemia, Haemoglobin S and Hereditary elliptocytosis in a Zairian Family. Ischaemic costal necroses in a child with sickle cell beta+-Thalassaemia.

In a family of Low-Zaïre, a child with sickle cell beta+-thalassaemia disease, aged 7, presented 33.6% haemoglobin A. The clinical evolution was benign, except for the occurrence of an extensive bilateral ischemic necrosis of the ribs. This is the third case of sickle cell thalassaemia with the haemoglobin phenotype SFA reported in Zaïrians, whereas the SF phenotype has repeatedly been found: beta+-thalassaemia seems therefore much rarer in Zaïrians than betadegrees-thalassaemia. Besides the thalassaemia trait and the sickle cell trait, hereditary elliptocytosis was also segregating in this family; double heterozygotes for Hb S and elliptocytosis or for beta-thalassaemia and elliptocytosis did not show any definite sign of genetic or clinical interaction between both traits.