Differential expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 in gastritis induced by Helicobacter pylori infection in paediatric patients, adults, and an animal model.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori is a major aetiologic agent associated with gastritis. H. pylori infections increase the expression of the Toll-like receptor (TLR), which in turn modulates the expression of microRNA (miRNA)-146a and miRNA-155. The objective of this study was to compare the expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 in gastric lesions of paediatric and adult patients with different pathologies and in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) infected with H. pylori 26,695. METHODS: Quantification of miRNA expression was performed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) of paraffin-embedded gastric lesions of children with or without an infection (n = 25), adults with follicular gastritis and metaplasia (n = 32) and eight-week-old M. unguiculatus males (Hsd:MON) infected with H. pylori 26,695 for 0, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months (n = 25). The genes RNU48 and RNU6 were used as endogenous controls for data normalization. Statistical analyses were performed using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA and Student's t-test. RESULTS: The expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 in infected children increased by 247.6- and 79.4-fold (on average), respectively, compared to that observed in the control group. However, these results were not significant (p = 0.12 and p = 0.07 respectively). In some children a gradual increase in expression was observed, while in others, expression was very high. Additionally, the expression levels of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 increased by an average of 21.7- and 62-fold, respectively, in adult patients with follicular gastritis when compared to those of the controls. In M. unguiculatus infected with H. pylori 26,695, the expression of both miRNAs increased as the infection progressed. CONCLUSION: This is the first report to show differences in the expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-155 in paediatric and adult patients with gastritis who were infected with H. pylori. In addition, in M. unguiculatus infected with H. pylori, miRNA expression was associated with the progression of infection and the ability of the bacteria to adapt to the host.

Tuberculosis pélvica y antecedente de embarazo. Reporte de caso / Pelvic tuberculosis and pregnancy antecedent. Case report

Resumen A lo largo del tiempo, la tuberculosis ha sido un problema de salud pública. La Organización Mundial de la Salud reporta anualmente alrededor de 8 millones de casos nuevos y 3 millones de muertes. En México se estima que anualmente prevalecen cerca de 64,000 casos de esta enfermedad gue puede afectar diferentes órganos con presentaciones clínicas gue simulan otras patologías. Se presenta el caso de una paciente de 22 años de edad con antecedente de embarazo normo evolutivo y parto vaginal 4 meses antes sin complicaciones, gue inició su cuadro clínico en el puerperio con presencia de tos en accesos gue remitió un mes posterior acompañado de síndrome de desgaste, pérdida de peso, dolor abdominal difuso, diarrea y fiebre. Recibió múltiples tratamientos sin mejoría, ingresó a nuestro hospita con cuadro de síndrome abdominal agudo y se le realizó laparotomía exploradora con hallazgos de abdomen congelado, engrosamiento de peritoneo parietal, adherencias fijas, colecciones en hueco pélvico, con material purulento caseoso, blanquecino, poco fétido, tejido friable, presencia de granulomas en asas de intestino; se realizó histerectomía subtotal abdominal con ooforectomía bilateral, la evolución posquirúrgica fue lenta hacia la mejoría tras corroborar por reporte histopatológico y cultivo el diagnóstico de tuberculosis pélvica e iniciar tratamiento específico.

Abstract Tuberculosis has been overtime public health problem. The World Health Organization reports annually about 8 million new cases and 3 million deaths. In Mexico, an estimation of around 64,000 prevalent cases of this disease are reported annually. Tuberculosis can affect different organs with clinica presentations that mimic other diseases. A patient presents a history of normal pregnancy and vaginal delivery without complications for 4 months. The clinical picture begins in the postpartum period with the presence of cough accesses registered a month later accompanied by fatigue, weight loss, diffuse abdominal pain, diarrhea and fever syndrome. She received multiple treatments without improvement. She was ad missioned to our hospital and an acute abdomen laparotomy was performed with findings of abdominal frozen thickened parietal peritoneum, fixed adhesions, collections of pelvic cavity with whitish, slightly fetid pus, friable tissue, presence of granulomas in bowel loop. A subtotal abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy was performed. The postoperative evolution showed a slow improvement after the reportand was corroborated bya histopathological diagnosis of pelvic tuberculosis culture and the initiation of a specific treatment.

Aspergilosis diseminada: hallazgos postmortem en un caso de sepsis materna. ¿Es el embarazo un estado de inmunosupresión? / Disseminated aspergillosis: postmortem findings in a case of maternal sepsis

Se comunica un caso de muerte materno-fetal con diagnóstico de aspergilosis diseminada concluido a través del estudio de autopsia. Caso: Mujer de 20 años de edad con antecedente de preeclampsia quien en su segundo embarazo inició con dolor obstétrico asociado a fiebre y ataque al estado general. El trabajo de parto concluyó con la expulsión de un feto óbito macerado y placenta fétida, hipotonía uterina e inestabilidad hemodinámica. Fue referida a segundo nivel, cursaba con fiebre persistente, foco séptico pélvico, trastornos de la ventilación, evidencia de lesiones encefálicas por tomografía, sangrado de tubo digestivo, oliguria, datos de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica y necrosis bilateral de miembros inferiores. Falleció a los 10 días de haber sido internada. Resultados: En el examen necrológico, la División de Anatomía Patológica halló pulmones con áreas extensas de consolidación y hemorragia, corazón con vegetaciones valvulares y murales, así como cerebro con múltiples lesiones similares a infarto. La microscopía de luz reveló la presencia de hifas septadas ramificadas en ángulos de 45° que transgredían el lumen de arterias en pulmón, asentadas sobre la superficie endocárdica e invadían el miocardio, el espacio subaracnoideo y neurópilo. Dichas hifas también se identificaron en los cortes histológicos de tiroides, tráquea, estómago y riñón. Conclusión: La aspergilosis diseminada es una entidad de elevada letalidad que usualmente afecta a pacientes inmunocomprometidos, específicamente a quienes cursan con neutropenia. Si bien durante el embarazo el sistema inmune experimenta determinadas adaptaciones fisiológicas, éstas no predisponen per se al desarrollo de infecciones oportunistas.

We describe autopsy findings in a case of maternal death caused by invasive aspergillosis in its disseminated form. Case: 20 year old female with previous medical history of preeclampsia who started with malaise, pelvic pain and fever during her second pregnancy. A fetal obitus was obtained after labor although she remained with uterine hypotony and hemodynamic unsteadiness. She was referred to a general hospital subsisting with fever, acute pelvic sepsis, deteriorated ventilatory function, cerebral lesions visualized by tomography, gastrointestinal bleeding, oliguria and systemic inflammatory response with bilateral acral lower extremities necrosis. She died ten days after her arrival and autopsy was authorized. Results: Necropsy uncovered lungs with consolidated areas and extensive haemorrhage, valvular and mural heart vegetations and numerous cerebral lesions with infarct-like appeareance. Light microscopy revealed the presence of septate hyphae with regular acute angle branching invading lung microvasculature, endocardial surface, myocardium, Virchow-Robin space and neuropil. The hyphae were also identified in thyroid, trachea, gastric mucosa and kidney histological sections. Conclusion: Disseminated aspergillosis is a high-mortality infectious process that usually affects immunocompromised patients, specially those coursing with neutropenia. Despite immunological changes experienced as part of normal pregnancy, these per se do not predispose the mother to infections caused by opportunistic pathogens.

Cecum duplication in a 14-year-old female. Case report.

BACKGROUND: Duplications of the alimentary tract are a group of rare malformations occurring in about 1/5,000 live births. These may be either spherical or tubular and may communicate with the intestinal tract. Duplications of the cecum are very uncommon. CLINICAL CASE: A 14-year-old female was admitted to the emergency department with a 1-day history of abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation and abdominal distension. Abdominal examination revealed distension and tenderness around the umbilicus. Plain abdominal radiography showed dilated colon. The patient underwent surgical management with diagnosis of sigmoid volvulus. Laparotomy revealed spherical duplication from the cecum. Hemicolectomy was done and alimentary continuity was restored by end-to-end anastomosis. Pathological report was a spherical communicated duplication from the cecum (22 × 32 cm). CONCLUSIONS: Duplication of the cecum is extremely rare and is seen in 0.4% of duplications of the alimentary tract. The majority of cases (85%) are diagnosed before age 2 years. It is rare at 14 years of age. Diagnosis is difficult and volvulus, intussusception or appendicitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Ultrasonography and tomography are the imaging studies of choice. Plain abdominal x-ray is not specific. Resection of the duplication with restoration of alimentary continuity is the treatment of choice.

Tumor del mediastino anterior en hombre joven / Anterior mediastinal tumor in a young man

Se presenta el caso de un hombre joven con tumor sólido del mediastino anterior y superior, con elevación de algunos marcadores tumorales. El diagnóstico anatomopatológico fue seguido de quimioterapia.

A young man presented with a solid mass in the anterosuperior mediastinum and superior vena cava syndrome. Some tumor markers were elevated. Diagnosis was followed by chemotherapy.