Smallpox: gone but not forgotten.

Smallpox represents both the acme of man's efforts to combat infectious diseases and one of his greatest fears. The disease emerged in prehistoric times to spread throughout the world causing blindness and death in millions of people. An acute infection caused by variola virus, one of the Orthopoxviruses, with skin eruption and marked toxemia had an average case fatality rate of 30%.

Role of the microbiology laboratory in care of the immunosuppressed patient.

In the immunosuppressed patient the usual hallmarks of infection, such as leukocytosis and antibody response, may be absent; thus the microbiology laboratory plays a fundamental role in the diagnosis of infection. Methods used to demonstrate microorganisms in a specimen submitted to the laboratory include visualization techniques, culture, and non-cultural methods involving immunologic, immunochemical, and nucleic acid probe methodologies. Because infections in the immunosuppressed patient may be caused by unusual organisms whose identification requires special techniques, close communication between the physician and the laboratory is important.

Sero group C streptococcal infection in intravenous drug abusers: a report of two cases.

Two cases of group C streptococcal bacteremia in intravenous drug abusers are described. Both patients had joint involvement and may have been immunocompromised. The literature pertinent to this organism is briefly reviewed.