Compliance to treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in a region of Israel.

Background: One of the measures adopted in Israel since 1959 as part of the tuberculosis control program was screening children aged 12-13 years old. The screening comprised single-step tuberculin skin testing using the Mantoux method.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy of tuberculin skin screening for TB in schoolchildren in southwestern Israel as well as the compliance to treatment for latent tuberculosis infection.

Supraophthalmic intracarotid infusion of BCNU for malignant glioma.

We treated five patients with 11 supraophthalmic infusions of BCNU at 200 mg/m2 every 2 months. All three patients with residual tumors showed marked CT response after one infusion. Two patients with bilateral tumors had no response on the contralateral side.

Sarcoma arising in metastatic carcinoma in the brain. A second instance.

A second instance in which a carcinoma metastatic to the brain has induced the formation of a sarcoma in the associated cerebral blood vessels, is reported. This is analogous to the more common gliosarcoma, a tumor in which a primary glioma, most often anaplastic astrocytoma (glioblastoma multiforme), has induced the formation of a similar sarcoma, with both neoplastic tissues in the same tumor mass. The formation of the sarcoma is attributed to a neoplastic change in the markedly hyperplastic endothelial cells of the cerebral blood vessels that are very commonly found with anaplastic astrocytomas and are often found in relation to metastatic carcinoma.

Neural defects in Say-Gerald (VATER) syndrome.

The Say-Gerald (VATER) syndrome consists of vertebral defects, anal atresia, tracheoesophageal fistula, radial dysplasia and renal defects. 2 children with Say-Gerald (VATER) syndrome were autopsied: the first child was found to have hydrocephalus, aqueductal stenosis and probable craniosynostosis, and the second child had hypoplasia of the nerve roots and anterior and posterior horns of the spinal cord, corresponding to the hypoplastic limb. It is suggested that the Say-Gerald syndrome is a multifocal developmental disorder in which central nervous system anomalies may be found.