The high frequency of coeliac disease among children with neurological disorders.

In the present study we have explored antigliadin (AGA) and antireticulin (ARA) antibody tests for the serological screening for coeliac disease (CD) of 206 children with neurological disorders. IgA- or/and IgG-type AGA was discovered in 17 (8.3%) patients and IgA-type ARA in one (0.5%) patient. A small intestinal biopsy was performed in all 18 antibody-positive patients, and villous atrophy compatible with CD was revealed in three cases (patients with either epilepsy, retardation of psychomotor development or Down's syndrome). The CD prevalence rate of 14.6 per 1000 (95% CI 7.0-22.2) found in the present study was higher than could have been anticipated on the basis of the results of our previous population studies, which indicate that CD occurs more frequently among children with neurological disorders (OR = 37.6; 95% CI 9.7-146.9). Whether this finding reflects certain immunopathogenic links between CD and particular neurological diseases needs to be studied further. In this study, we were unable, using indirect immunofluorescence testing, to demonstrate the presence of autoantibodies against brain tissue in CD and AGA-positive patients.

Two sisters with growth failure, microcephaly, peculiar facies and apical dystrophy: the presentation of brachymorphism-onychodysplasia-dysphalangism syndrome?

We report two sisters with growth failure, relative microcephaly, peculiar facies and apical dystrophy (brachydactyly type B). They had shortness and clinodactyly of the 5th fingers, aplasia or hypoplasia of the distal phalanges of 5th fingers, short medial phalanges of the 2nd and 5th fingers, hypoplasia or aplasia of distal phalanges of 2-5th toes, with tiny toenails, and aplasia or nails of 5th fingers and right 5th toe in the younger sister. Dysmorphic facial features included high forehead, sparse hair, blepharophimosis, telecanthus, epicanthic folds, a low nasal bridge, a broad nasal tip and micrognathia. Their ears were low-set and malformed. The older sister additionally had a high-pitched voice and eczema on the face and limbs. In the younger sister a cardiac defect was diagnosed--ventricular and atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus. They had some clinical features of Coffin-Siris syndrome, but with a milder phenotype and much less severe mental handicap. Their clinical picture resembles more the brachymorphism-onychodysplasia-dysphalangism (BOD) syndrome.

Evolutionary, regulatory and mediation aspects of T.b. rhodesiense and its endemicity in Lambwe Valley, Kenya.

The transmission of the human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) infection, also known as human sleeping sickness, depends on environmental factors operating at the mega-, macro-, and micro-scale levels. However, at the latter level T.b. rhodesiense parasite undergoes metacyclic development processes, controlled by its evolution, regulatory and mediation factors. Selective pressures acting on host-parasite interactions are thought to influence the genetics of the parasite and its hosts. In retrospect, the phenotypic difference responsible for the change in fitness of the parasite is complicated, since natural variation in a phenotype may be maintained by frequency-dependent selection, with species-specific fitness dynamics. Although little evidence exists on aspects of mutualism o f trypanosomes, it is possible that synergistic interactions among pathogens may be involved in the complex of phenotype variations. This paper considers the underlying dynamics with reference to the endemicity of the infection in Lambwe Valley ecosystem.