Myocarditis in beta-thalassemia major. A cause of heart failure.

Background: Although acute pericarditis is a common complication of beta-thalassemia major, the prevalence and consequences of myocarditis in this disease have not been investigated.

Methods And Results: A prospective 5-year follow-up study was carried out in all patients with beta-thalassemia major in whom the diagnosis of acute infectious myocarditis could be established between 1977 and 1986. A similar number of age- and sex-matched control subjects with beta-thalassemia and normal left ventricular function and no evidence of myocarditis were also followed for 5 years.

Detection of hepatitis-B virus-DNA and mutations in k-ras and p53 genes in human hepatocellular carcinomas.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is considered as one of the major risk factors in the development of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recent studies have also suggested the implication of oncogene and onco-suppressor genes in liver carcinogenesis. We studied 41 cases of HCC for the presence of HBV DNA and point mutations in codon 12 of K-ras and codon 249 of p53.

Expression of ras and c-myc oncoproteins and hepatitis B surface antigen in human liver disease.

One of the major antecedent factors preceding the development of hepatocellular carcinoma is chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Also, recent molecular studies have shown that activation of c-oncogenes might be responsible for the malignant transformation in some cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. We used immunohistochemical methods to investigate the correlation of ras and c-myc oncogene expression with the presence of HBsAg in human liver disease.

Epididymitis from Enterobius vermicularis: case report.

A rare case of epididymitis caused by Enterobius vermicularis, a pinworm, is reported. A 52-year-old man underwent resection of the right epididymis and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of pinworm infection by discovering parts of the body of the oxyurid in various sections.

Acute amiodarone-induced hepatitis.

Two fatal cases of amiodarone-induced acute, confluent, necrotic hepatitis are described. The patients, aged 28 and 60, had received a high loading dose of amiodarone. After the first and second day respectively following the administration of amiodarone, the patients developed jaundice, hepatomegaly, high serum transaminases, a prolonged prothrombin time and low cholesterol concentration.