Dracunculiasis of the breast: radiological manifestations of a rare disease.

Dracunculiasis of the breast is a rare manifestation of prior infection with the parasite dracunculus medinensis (guinea worm). We describe a case of a 60- year-old woman, who had recently emigrated from Cameroon. She presented for an annual screening mammogram and was found to have coarse linear or coiled serpiginous calcifications. These findings were recognized as calcified guinea worms within the breast tissue. This case report aims to highlight the mammographic findings of this rare infectious disease.

Guinea worm cause of adult onset asthmatic attack, a radiological diagnosis.

A case report of a fifty years old Hausa male from Sokoto town, Nigeria an endemic region of guinea worm infestation, who presented with sudden adult onset of asthmatic attack and was evaluated radiologically and the diagnosis of acute obstructive airway disease was confirmed. It was noted, that there were associated calcified chain of guinea worms in the lung parenchyma. A rare association of acute asthmatic attack. Patient responded there-after to an anti-asthmatic regime of management.

[Knee contusion with an interesting incidental finding]. / Eine Kniekontusion mit interessantem Zufallsbefund.

During examination of a 42 year old male patient from Mauretania with an injured knee in the emergency ward, a dracunculiasis - Guinea worm disease - was incidentally diagnosed. As travelling is generally increasing, this disease might be encountered more frequently also in Europe.

Soft tissue mineralization: roentgen analysis.

Numerous, incompletely understood, and undetermined physiologic factors may exert further but unappreciated influences on the development of ectopic calcification and ossification. In the former instance, in addition to serum calcium and phosphorous ion concentrations, tissue pH, blood supply, hormones, i.e., vitamin D, vitamin A, and various enzymes (e.g., alkaline phosphatase and pyrophosphatase) may all play significant, ancillary, time-dependent, but as yet undetermined roles. Ossification, like calcification, may occur in association with many types of disorders and under a variety of circumstances, some of which, such as trauma, have been reduplicated in the laboratory. However, experimental conditions that produce ectopic bone, as well as the species that are predilected do not always coincide with clinical observations in man. Not only are there differences between species in regard to susceptibility to ectopic bone production under particular circumstances, i.e., rabbits are the most susceptible and mice the least to mechanical injury, but there are differences between individuals. Individual variability in susceptibility to soft tissue ossification suggests either a personal or familial predilection. If such liability is inherited, this would be an example of an ecogenetic condition, in which someone is susceptible to an environmental agent by virtue of genetic constitution. Histocompatibility (HLS) antigens have provided substantiation of this concept. In the case of soft tissue ossification, causative environmental agents could include trauma, burns, hip replacement, and immobility secondary to neurological insults. In the case of soft tissue calcification, trauma, infections, or repeated injections could constitute the triggering environmental event. Not only do individuals at risk develop bone, but those that do tend to do so in characteristic places. Therefore, there is an additional differential susceptibility at various sites in the same individual. In cases with neurological conditions, thigh muscles are more susceptible than paraspinal muscles. The underlying condition is a further moderator, i.e., in paraplegics, thigh muscles are most apt to be involved. Elbows are most commonly affected after burns regardless of the site of the burn. Ectopic ossification also has a further predilection for distribution. Not only are muscle groups unequal in risk in terms of site, but the type of muscle affected is relevant, since skeletal muscles are involved in these same conditions to the exclusion of smooth muscles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Parasitic rheumatism: rheumatic manifestations associated with calcified guinea worm.

We prospectively studied 20 Saudi and Yamani patients with calcified guinea worm who presented with different rheumatic manifestations. Localized myalgia (55%), chronic monoarthralgia (35%) and chronic synovitis of the knee (10%) were the main presentations. Two cases with synovial fluid eosinophilia were seen. In spite of the absence of active infestation, the clinical, laboratory and radiological findings suggested the possibility of a causal relationship. The condition should be considered among other causes of parasitic rheumatism particularly in endemic areas.

[Radiological detection of the Medina worm (Dracunculus medinensis)]. / Radiologischer Nachweis des Medinawurms (Dracunculus medinensis).

Atypical linear or convoluted calcification in the subcutaneous tissues of patients from tropical areas in Africa and Asia may be caused by D. medinensis. The radiological appearances and differential diagnosis are described. Dead, calcified worms may occur in the soft tissues of the thorax, abdomen, pelvis or extremities and may cause complications due to a foreign body reaction, particularly when related to major joints.

[Dracunculosis or Medina worm filariasis. Apropos of 2 cases]. / Dracunculose ou filariose de Médine. A propos de deux cas.

We report two patients with calcified Medina worms. With the considerable increase in international travel and exchange, it is important that radiologists in non-endemic areas be familiar with this type of parasitic calcification.