Intrauterine candidiasis: report of four cases.

BACKGROUND: Despite the high incidence of candida vaginitis, intraamniotic candida infection seems to be a rare disease. This infective agent can cause chorioamnionitis even in the presence of intact fetal membranes. METHODS AND RESULTS: We report four new cases of intrauterine candidiasis and describe the associated clinicopathological features. Three of the cases had predisposing risk factors, like rupture of membranes or intrauterine contraceptive device, and ended in fetal death; the fourth case had a gestational trophoblastic disease. DISCUSSION: The pathogenic significance of fetal contamination by candida appears to depend largely on gestational age. Candida infection of the fetus can result in prematurity and death. The importance of early and accurate diagnosis of intraamniotic infection with candida is emphasized.

p53 expression in two cases of spiradenocarcinomas.

p53 protein is a nuclear 53-kDa phosphoprotein that acts as a suppressor protein. There are several studies on the expression of p53 in skin tumors, but few deal with adnexal malignant tumors because of their rarity. We performed immunohistochemistry for the detection of p53 and Ki-67 in two cases of malignant spiradenomas and six cases of spiradenomas retrieved from our files. In our cases, p53 was expressed only in the malignant areas of the lesions, whereas the benign areas of the spiradenocarcinomas and all the spiradenomas were negative (nuclear positivity <10%). These results seem to support the idea that p53 is implicated in the malignant transformation of adnexal tumors.

Hemophagocytic syndrome causing complete bone marrow failure. Report of an extreme case of a reactive histiocytic disorder.

The hemophagocytic syndrome is a reactive disorder of the mononuclear phagocytic system. Most of the cases are rare complications of common infectious and neoplastic diseases, although there may be an underlying immune disorder predisposing to this syndrome. We report a case in association with immune thrombocytopenia and hemolytic anemia (Evans' syndrome). The hemophagocytic reaction appeared after a bacterial infection of the urinary tract and presented with abrupt pancytopenia and complete hemopoietic failure. We discuss the possible mechanisms of bone marrow failure related with the hemophagocytic syndrome.

Rhabdomyosarcoma presenting with diffuse bone marrow involvement, hypercalcemia and renal failure.

Rhabdomyosarcoma and other small round-cell neoplasms of infancy and childhood frequently involve the bone marrow. An unusual clinical presentation of diffuse bone marrow involvement as the sole manifestation of the disease represents a difficult diagnostic challenge. We report the case of an 18-year-old boy presenting with lower back pain, sternum tenderness, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukoerythroblastic blood film, hypercalcemia, and renal failure. No solid tumor was found. A diagnosis of rhabdomyoblastic bone marrow metastatic involvement was initially suggested by the morphological picture, and later confirmed by the ultrastructural findings. Hypercalcemia and renal failure were controlled, initially, with furosemide and calcitonin. The patient was treated with intensive chemotherapy, including vincristine, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, and doxorubicin. A remission was achieved, lasting 5 months until relapse.

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia of the liver in renal transplantation.

In our series of RT three cases of diffuse NRH of the liver were found. This rare entity is characterized by nodules of regenerative hepatocytes distributed throughout the liver without fibrosis. The incidence was 12.5% and probably is underestimated. Clinically, hepatomegaly, moderate thrombopenia and an elevation of GGT were present, but no case was previously suspected. NRH can lead to PH, and we should think of this entity in the differential diagnosis of PH following RT.

Linfadenitis lepromatosa con abcesos

Se presenta un cuadro de lepra lepromatosa típico con cintercurrencias de síndrome febril prolongado que luego de múltiples interconsultas para descartar otras patologías, y a falta de pruebas, se diagnostica como linfadenitis lepromatosa.

[Mucoepidermoid tumour in an eight-year-old boy (author's transl)]. / Tumor mucoepidermoide pulmonar infantil. Estudio clínico-patológico de un caso y revisión de la literatura.

Report of a bronchial mucoepidermoid tumour, in a eight years old boy. This is the first report of this kind of tumour in the pediatric age in the Spanish literature. The clinical and radiological features are considered as well as the usefulness of endoscopy in the diagnosis of bronchial tumours in children. The pathologic findings, differential diagnosis and the surgical treatment performed are discussed. These tumours are of low grade malignancy with an excellent prognosis as is confirmed by the follow-up of the present case without recurrences or metastasis after nine years.