Co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with Chlamydia or Mycoplasma pneumoniae: a case series and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has spread all over the world causing a global pandemic and representing a great medical challenge. Nowadays, there is limited knowledge on the rate of co-infections with other respiratory pathogens, with viral co-infection being the most representative agents. Co-infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae has been described both in adults and pediatrics whereas only two cases of Chlamydia pneumoniae have been reported in a large US study so far. METHODS: In the present report, we describe a series of seven patients where co-infection with C. pneumoniae (n = 5) or M. pneumoniae (n = 2) and SARS-CoV-2 was detected in a large teaching hospital in Rome. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: An extensive review of the updated literature regarding the co-infection between SARS-CoV-2 and these atypical pathogens is also performed.

[Changes in the cardiovascular chemo-baroreceptors as a possible basis for sudden infant death (SIDS)]. / Alterazioni dei chemobarorecettori cardiovascolari quale possible substrato di morte improvvisa del lattante (SIDS).

A male sixty days old infant, dying suddenly, has been diagnosed as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Autopsy visualized plurifocal haematic suffusions, typical for an asphyxial status. Abnormalities were not found in the conduction system, but aorticopulmonary paraganglia hyperplasia with mild inflammatory characters has been noted. The role of aorticopulmonary paraganglia, as baro-chemoreceptors, in the cardiovascular regulation, has been anatomical substrate for explaining a sudden infant death, according to a multifactorial theory of SIDS.

[Cancer of the uterine cervix in Togo. Epidemiological observations and anatomopathological characteristics]. / Il carcinoma del collo uterino nel Togo. Osservazioni epidemiologiche e caratteristiche anatomopatologiche.

Fifty consecutive cases of cervical cancer from the Afagnan Hospital in Togo have been reviewed in their clinical features, and in ten out of these and five additional ones from the year 1979 the histological specimens were reexamined. The high rate of late diagnosis was the most striking clinical data observed, while the histopathological study revealed a high quota of undifferentiated or rare patterns, very different from the types commonly observed in Europe. In spite of the very poor public health level of the population, an almost complete absence of histological signs of HPV infection in the neoplastic tissue should be remarked.

[Cervico-vaginal infection by HPV: cyto-histological morphology in the different viral strains]. / Infezione cervicovaginale da HPV: morfologia citoistologica nei differenti tipi virali.

One-hundred ten cervical or vaginal bioptic samples have been submitted to in-situ HPV typing with biotinylated probes. All samples had been taken from women with colposcopic findings suggesting HPV infection, and at histopathology showed koilocytosis sometimes associated with CIN or VAIN. Sixty-four samples were positive (16 for HPV 6/11 - 37 for HPV 16/18, 11 for HPV 31/35/51). Histopathological and cytological specimens were reviewed to detect the possible existence of morphological patterns typical of the various viral types. Papillomatosis, slightly increased nuclear size with finely granular chromatin, low number of mitoses, and scarce cyto-polymorphism, were associated with HPV 6/11, as well as the absence of intraepithelial neoplasia. A higher number of mitoses (and/or atypical ones), cyto-polymorphism, association with intraepithelial neoplasia, nuclear vacuolization, nuclei of increased size, with irregular borders, hyperchromic, with dark and lumpy chromatin were indicative of high or medium risk HPV (16/18 or 31/35/51). In cytological smears also the finding of dyskeratocytes was associated with these viral types, while multiple nuclei were present in the case of HPV 31/35/51 detection.

[Therapy of carcinoma-in-situ: comparison of methods]. / Terapia della CIN: metodiche a confronto.

This work comparatively evaluates the results of therapy for CIN (in terms of recovery persistence and relapse) in 362 women submitted to electrocauterization, laser vaporization, laser conization, diathermy loop conization, cold knife conization, from January 1980 to December 1989. Parameters as age, CIN grade, time elapsed between diagnosis and therapy, contraceptive exposition, have been considered. The results show a slight difference in the persistence and relapse rates between conization globally considered (traditional, laser, loop) and local surgery (cauterization, laser) in favour of the latter. Nevertheless the difference was too little to suggest abandoning one treatment in favour of the others. Moreover this work indicates that the results of therapy are independent from the type of contraceptive used. Furthermore, the finding of relapses during follow up only in CIN grade 2 indicates that this grade of CIN must be considered at risk, requesting adequate consideration and follow up.