Publications by authors named "Maria Mtolera"

Dissemination of the cysticerci throughout the body with cardiopulmonary involvement represents a very rare occurrence and an uncommon form of cysticercosis manifestation. We report a rare case of a 48-year-old African male from urban Tanzania who was, at first, referred to our radiology department for a coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), but incidentally on further evaluation of the patient revealed a history of recurrent convulsions, loss of consciousness, a single episode of temporary loss of vision and recent skin nodules. The value of a full clinical and radiological evaluation of the patient presenting with adult-onset seizures cannot be overemphasized for the diagnosis of this disease.

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Background: Holoprosencephaly is a rare spectrum of cephalic disorders resulting from a failure or incomplete division of the embryonic forebrain into distinct cerebral hemispheres. It is the most common brain malformation with an incidence of 1:250 during embryogenesis; however, owing to the associated high rates of spontaneous abortion the incidence is 1:16,000 among live deliveries. Pathogenesis of holoprosencephaly is complex and heterogeneous involving genetic abnormalities, teratogenic exposures, and syndromic associations.

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Anomalous origin of the right pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta is a rare congenital deformity associated with poor quality of life and reduced life expectancy. Without a corrective surgery, less than one third of cases will live to see their sixth month. We report a case of a 10-month-old male child from Tanzania who presented with a 6-month history of recurrent respiratory tract infections, mild effort intolerance, and failure to thrive.

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