Chagas disease in the immunosuppressed patient.

This review addresses relevant aspects of Chagas disease in the immunocompromised host. Chagas disease--one of the world's most neglected diseases-has become a global public health concern. Novel transmission modalities, such as organ transplantation, evidence of parasite persistence in chronically infected individuals--with the potential for reactivation under immunosuppression--and the prolonged survival of immunosuppressed patients call for an appraisal of the disease in this particular setting.

Tuberculosis in solid-organ transplant recipients: disease characteristics and outcomes in the current era.

We determined the characteristics of posttransplant tuberculosis and the impact of rifampin-based antituberculosis regimens on outcomes in the current era. Patients comprised 64 transplant recipients with tuberculosis, divided into 2 consecutive cohorts: an earlier cohort (cases occurring from 2003 to 2007) and a later cohort (cases from 2008 to 2011). Patients from the later versus earlier era had tuberculosis develop later after transplant (odds ratio, 1.

Early molecular diagnosis of acute Chagas disease after transplantation with organs from Trypanosoma cruzi-infected donors.

Organ transplantation (TX) is a novel transmission modality of Chagas disease. The results of molecular diagnosis and characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi acute infection in naïve TX recipients transplanted with organs from infected deceased donors are reported. Peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples from the TX recipients of organs from infected donors were prospectively and sequentially studied for detection of T.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution syndrome in solid-organ transplant recipients.

Background: Incidence, characteristics, and risk factors for tuberculosis (TB)-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRS) in solid-organ transplant (SOT) recipients are not known.

Methods: Patients are composed of 64 consecutive SOT recipients with TB followed for 12 months. IRS was defined based on previously proposed criteria.

Emerging parasitic infections in transplantation.

This article concentrates on parasitic infections that are novel in solid organ transplantation for which there are meaningful data. It also addresses some issues that are either exceptional or a cause for new concern and where the evidence for a well-established recommendation is lacking.

Trypanosoma cruzi discrete typing units in Chagas disease patients from endemic and non-endemic regions of Argentina.

Genetic diversity of Trypanosoma cruzi may play a role in pathogenesis of Chagas disease forms. Natural populations are classified into 6 Discrete Typing Units (DTUs) Tc I-VI with taxonomical status. This study aimed to identify T.

Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus infection in solid organ transplant recipients: a multicenter study.

Background: The 2009 novel influenza A/H1N1 virus pandemic did not spare solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. We aimed to describe the behavior of pandemic influenza infection in a group of SOT recipients in Argentina.

Methods: Data from 10 transplant (Tx) centers were retrospectively collected for SOT that presented with a respiratory illness compatible with pandemic influenza A infection, between May and September 2009.

Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 and organ donation.

One of the concerns regarding the pandemic of novel influenza A/H1N1 virus is its potential to hamper transplant programs if the decision is made that organs from donors with influenza A/H1N1 should not be used. Evidence of transmissibility through organ transplantation is speculative at best. We report the outcome of 2 kidney transplant recipients who received kidneys from the same deceased donor, in whom the diagnosis of infection by the novel virus became available only after engraftment.

Risk factors for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in kidney transplant recipients: a case-control study.

Objective: To analyze risk factors for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in kidney transplant recipients.

Study Design: In a case-control study, 17 PCP cases diagnosed between July 1994 and July 2000 were matched with two controls each (previous and subsequent kidney transplant recipients who did not develop PCP during the same follow-up period). Demographics, organ origin, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatches, use of poly- or monoclonal anti-CD3 antibodies (Po/MoAb) for induction or rejection treatment, rejection episodes, cumulative steroid dose for rejection treatment, immunosuppressive regimens, and other infections were analyzed.

Tuberculosis in renal transplant recipients.

Tuberculosis (TB) has been described in kidney transplant recipients as an infection with predominantly pulmonary involvement. We report the impact of TB in kidney transplantation. Clinical records of adult kidney recipients, transplanted between 1 January 1986 and 31 December 1995 were analyzed for sex, age, graft origin, immunosuppressive therapy, TB sites, diagnostic methods and concomitant infections.

Immunohistochemical and molecular genetic approaches to soft tissue tumor diagnosis: a primer.

During the past two decades we have witnessed the identification of an expanding list of immunohistochemical and molecular markers linked to histopathologically defined subtypes of tumors. These markers offer new insights and approaches to the classification of tumors with important prognostic and/or therapeutic implications. We review the potentially diagnostic immunohistochemical and molecular markers of soft tissue tumors (STTs).

Lobular neoplasia. Long term risk of breast cancer and relation to other factors.

Background: Lobular neoplasia (LN), also known as lobular carcinoma in situ, is an incidental histologic finding in tissue removed at breast surgery. Patients with LN are known to be predisposed to develop invasive or intraductal carcinoma (CA). This study investigates factors that influence the cancer risk in LN patients.

Regression of skin recurrences of breast carcinomas treated with intralesional injections of natural interferons alpha and gamma.

Two groups of patients with disseminated breast carcinomas who had failed radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and hormonotherapy were treated with natural interferon alpha (nIFN-alpha) alone or in combination with nIFN-gamma delivered in cycles of 10-12 intralesional (i.l.) injections to recurrent and metastatic lesions.

Reproducibility and validity of pathologic classifications of benign breast disease and implications for clinical applications.

Background: Research studies on the relationship between benign breast diseases and cancer risk typically identify certain conditions as risk factors, and others as carrying no prognostic significance. This study addresses several issues concerning the relevance of such research results for advising individual patients in a clinical setting.

Methods: Data were obtained as part of a "blinded" retrospective pathology review of benign breast biopsies.

Prognostic significance of benign proliferative breast disease.

Background: Recent studies concerning an association between benign breast diseases and risk of subsequent breast cancer have focused on benign proliferative lesions recognized in biopsy specimens. Some have implicated atypical hyperplasia as being associated with the greatest risk.

Methods: The histologic sections of specified benign breast lesions from 1799 women were reviewed and reclassified, using published criteria for proliferative disease.

The epidemiology of gross cystic disease of the breast confirmed by biopsy or by aspiration of cyst fluid.

This study concerns 3443 patients treated by 1 physician for benign breast conditions, with follow-up on 94% of the patients averaging 19 years. Over three quarters of these patients had gross cystic disease (GCD) of the breast confirmed by aspiration of cyst fluid or by biopsy. Diagnosis of GCD by microscopic pathology review alone is shown to have high error rates when compared with information in the operative report and the gross pathology report.

Lipoblastic meningioma: "vacuolated meningioma".

This report describes and illustrates seven cases of benign meningeal tumors, including one in the retro-bulbar region of the orbit, which were characterized by vacuolated signet-ring cells. Occasional typical meningothelial areas were also seen; however, the signet-ring cells were the dominant feature. The vacuoles were consistently negative with the various stains for mucin.

Percutaneous transluminal aortic angioplasty: techniques and results.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the infrarenal abdominal aorta has been reported by a few authors. In the present series, aortic stenoses in 32 patients were treated with various percutaneous angioplasty techniques. Isolated aortic stenoses and primary aortic stenoses extending into the iliac arteries were successfully dilated.