Serological evidence of Rickettsia parkeri as the etiological agent of rickettsiosis in Uruguay.

We report three new rickettsiosis human cases in Uruguay. The three clinical cases presented clinical manifestations similar to previous reported cases of Rickettsia parkeri in the United States; that is mild fever (< 40 degrees C), malaise, headache, rash, inoculation eschar at the tick bite site, regional lymphadenopathy, and no lethality. Serological antibody-absorption tests with purified antigens of R.

Importance of the direct fresh examination in the diagnosis of cutaneous sporotrichosis.

Background: To date the direct fresh examination has not been considered, except by a few authors, as a valid laboratory procedure for the diagnosis of cutaneous sporotrichosis.

Methods: Forty-two patients with cutaneous sporotrichosis (36 lymphangitic and six fixed) were studied. Pus was obtained through digital compression of opened lesions followed by collection with a spatula and examination of the material between the slide and the coverslip.

Mycotic bovine nasal granuloma.

A case of mycotic bovine nasal granuloma in a 10 year-old Jersey cow, produced by Drechslera halodes is presented. Histopathological sections showed abundant hyaline and pigmented extra and intracellular fungal structures together with a polymorphic cellular granuloma formed by neutrophils, lymphocytes, plasmocytes, histiocytes and giant cells of the Langhans type. It is the first case of mycotic bovine nasal granuloma recognized in Uruguay although this disease seems to be frequent according to the opinion of veterinarian specialists.

Rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia conorii in Uruguay.

The first three human cases of rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia conorii in Montevideo, Uruguay were described in 1990. All of them showed an initial papulosquamous lesion on the scalp from a canine tick bite (Amblyomma triste). At the same time, fever and regional adenopathies were observed.

The importance of microscopic examination in the management of desquamative diseases of the scalp.

After determining the usual malassezic biota of the scalp in adult, normal persons, 259 patients with different desquamative diseases were studied by a simple adhesive tape technique. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of this technique to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Most patients with seborrhoeic dermatitis and sebopsoriasis demonstrated large numbers of Malassezia spp.