Autoimmune hepatitis type-2 and Epstein-Barr virus infection in a toddler: art of facts or an artifact?

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can cause frequently asymptomatic (or anicteric) and self-limited hepatitis, while occasionally may result in considerable cholestatic hepatitis. Herein, we describe the case of a previously healthy toddler (26 month old girl) with prolonged cholestasis, elevated serum transaminases, EBV serology compatible with recent EBV infection and positive anti liver kidney microsomal antibody type 1 which is characteristic of new-onset autoimmune hepatitis type 2. Liver biopsy was also typical of autoimmune hepatitis as attested by the presence of portal inflammation with predominant T-lymphocytes and plasma cells and interface hepatitis.

Cystic mesenchymal hamartoma arising in intrathoracic heterotopic liver: a case report.

Intrathoracic heterotopic liver tissue is an exceedingly rare clinical entity. In most patients, it is associated with other congenital defects, including cardiac anomalies, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, pectus excavatum, and intralobar pulmonary sequestration. Although heterotopic liver could potentially lead to the same benign liver diseases that can affect the mother liver, the association of heterotopic liver tissue with tumors in childhood is extremely rare.

Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and HER-2 in pediatric embryonal brain tumors.

Background/aims: Medulloblastomas (MBs), atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors (AT/RTs) and central nervous system primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) are aggressive embryonal brain neoplasms in children with overlapping histological features but with different pathogenetic pathways. We set out to evaluate the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), HER-2, Ki-67 and p53 in embryonal tumors.

Material And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 36 children with embryonic tumors (27 MBs, 7 AT/RTs and 2 supratentorial PNETs).

Immunohistochemical expression of cell cycle/apoptosis regulators and epidermal growth factor receptor in pediatric intracranial ependymomas.

Intracranial ependymomas are the third most common primary brain tumor in children. We set out to investigate the expression of p-53, p-27, bcl-2, and epidermal growth factor receptor in 13 pediatric infratentorial ependymomas, in correlation with Ki-67/ MIB-1 proliferation index and prognosis. The median progression-free survival was 37.

Hepatitis C treatment concomitant to chemotherapy as "salvage" therapy in children with hematologic malignancies.

In patients with malignancies, chronic hepatitis C reactivation or severe flare is uncommon and antiviral treatment is deferred mainly due to underlying bone marrow and immune suppression. We report the use of antiviral treatment concomitantly to chemotherapy in 3 children with hematologic malignancies, chronic hepatitis C, and significant liver dysfunction.

Histological and immunohistochemical study of granuloma annulare and subcutaneous granuloma annulare in children.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the histological and immunohistochemical features of granuloma annulare (GA) in comparison to deep granuloma annulare (DGA) and granulomatous dermatoses (GDs).

Methods: Our material comprised 13 GA, 8 DGA and 1 atypical granuloma annulare (AGA) in a child with primary immunodeficiency, 10 cases of nonspecific GDs and 1 case of sarcoidosis with cutaneous involvement. The immunohistochemical streptavidin-biotin-Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) analysis was performed on paraffin sections for the detection of CD68/KP-1, CD68/anti-human CD68 clone PGM1 (PGM1), lysozyme, S-100 protein, CD1a, CD3, CD20/L-26, CD4 and CD8.