Unilateral orbital inflammation in a child after a jellyfish sting to the lower extremities.

A 3-year 10-month-old child initially developed locally recurrent cutaneous eruptions within the first 2 weeks after sustaining a jellyfish sting to her lower extremities. After 5 asymptomatic weeks, she developed unilateral orbital inflammation that did not respond to systemic antibiotics, antihistamines, or steroids. Imaging revealed a rapidly growing mass of the right lacrimal gland.

Treatment of Atlantic cnidarian envenomations.

Envenomation syndromes induced by Atlantic cnidaria have been tabulated and their therapy discussed. The pharmacokinetics of the venom has been emphasized. Pain occurs instantly and reaches a zenith rapidly in the surf.

Acute skin eruptions that are positive for herpes simplex virus DNA polymerase in patients with stem cell transplantation: a new manifestation within the erythema multiforme reactive dermatoses.

Background: Patients with stem cell transplantation (SCT) develop erythematous eruptions (SCTE) that are often misdiagnosed and poorly treated. Latent herpes simplex virus (HSV) is likely to be reactivated by SCT-associated immunosuppression. Therefore, one of the differential diagnostic possibilities for SCTE is HSV-associated erythema multiforme (HAEM) in which HSV genetic fragments localize in stem cells that deliver them to the skin on differentiation.

The Herpes simplex virus gene Pol expressed in herpes-associated erythema multiforme lesions upregulates/activates SP1 and inflammatory cytokines.

Background/aims: Herpes-simplex-virus-associated erythema multiforme (HAEM) is characterized by lesional skin expression of the viral protein Pol and localized inflammation. The objective of this study is to examine the mechanism whereby Pol induces localized inflammation.

Methods: A431 cells transfected with Pol or an empty vector and lesional skin from HAEM or drug-induced erythema multiforme patients were examined for expression of the transcription factor SP1 and SP1-regulated genes by immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence.

Prolonged urinary incontinence and biliary dyskinesia following abdominal contact with jellyfish tentacles.

A 16-year-old girl was seriously stung on her abdomen by a jellyfish as she jumped on her small surfboard. She and her mother identified the animal from photographs as Chrysaora fuscescens. Within several minutes the girl developed a massive abdominal cutaneous eruption composed of hundreds of punctuate erythematous papules and macules, which persisted for 5 to 7 days.

Aberrant DNA methylation silences the novel heat shock protein H11 in melanoma but not benign melanocytic lesions.

Background: The heat shock protein H11 is silenced in melanoma cell lines, where its forced expression by demethylation with Aza-C triggers apoptosis.

Objective: To examine whether H11 is silenced by aberrant DNA methylation in melanoma as compared to nevi and normal skin tissues.

Methods: Cell suspensions from benign intradermal nevi, atypical nevi and malignant melanoma tissues were used in reverse-transcriptase PCR and methylation-specific PCR.

CD34+ cells in the peripheral blood transport herpes simplex virus DNA fragments to the skin of patients with erythema multiforme (HAEM).

Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-associated erythema multiforme (HAEM) is a recurrent disease characterized by the presence and expression of HSV DNA fragments in lesional skin. Our studies examined the mechanism of viral DNA transport to the skin of HAEM patients. CD34+ cells were isolated from the blood of normal subjects and HSV and HAEM patients during acute lesions and at quiescence.

Toxicity and mAChRs binding activity of Cassiopea xamachana venom from Puerto Rican coasts.

A separation of toxic components from the upside down jellyfish Cassiopea xamachana (Cx) was carried out to study their cytotoxic effects and examine whether these effects are combined with a binding activity to cell membrane receptors. Nematocysts containing toxins were isolated from the autolysed tentacles, ruptured by sonication, and the crude venom (CxTX) was separated from the pellets by ultracentrifugation. For identifying its bioactive components, CxTX was fractionated by gel filtration chromatography into six fractions (named fraction I-VI).

Two new actions of sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) nematocyst venom: studies on the mechanism of actions on complement activation and on the central nervous system.

Chrysaora quinquecirrha (sea nettle) nematocyst venom is lethal to rainbow killifish (Adina xenica) when injected intraperitoneally or topically applied to the exposed brain or denuded epithelium. The lethal activity is thermostable requiring 100 degrees C heat for inactivation. This paper reports here for the first time that the venom also activates the complement system with the subsequent formation of the C5b-9 terminal complement complex.

Irukandji-like syndrome in South Florida divers.

Irukandji syndrome is a constellation of delayed severe local and systemic symptoms occurring after a Carukia barnesi box jellyfish sting involving any exposed skin. These cases are limited to Australia, the habitat of that animal. Numerous other cases of an Irukandji-like syndrome after other small Carybdeid genus envenomations have been reported elsewhere in the world.

A double-blind study of the efficacy and safety of the ICP10deltaPK vaccine against recurrent genital HSV-2 infections.

A randomized double-blind trial to evaluate the safety of a novel recombinant virus, ICP10deltaPK, for reduction or prevention of recurrent herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection was carried out in public hospitals in Mexico City. Persons having a minimum of 5 documented herpetic recurrences in the previous year were randomized for vaccination. Patients were examined within 72 hours of lesion occurrence.

Aquatic antagonists: Catalaphyllia jardinei sting.

Catalaphyllia jardinei is a blue-green soft coral whose red-violet tipped tentacles have made it a very colorful, popular animal prized by amateur aquarists (Figure 1). Its normal habitat is the Indo-Pacific area from Seychelles through Vanuatu and from Northern Australia to Southern Japan. It is regarded as mildly venomous.

Some toxicological characteristics of three venomous soft corals from the Red Sea.

Three common Red Sea soft corals (Cnidaria: Anthozoa), Nephthea sp, Dendronephthya sp and Heteroxenia fuscescens sting humans. Nematocyst venoms of each animal are lethal to mice and hemolytic to human erythrocytes. However, these hemolysins are partially inhibited by known anti-hemolytic agents.