High prevalence of Microsporidium infection in HIV-infected patients.

Sixty-four patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) participated in a study to determine opportunistic enteric pathogens and compare them with the patients' clinical status. The most frequently found pathogens were microsporidium (81.2%), Cryptosporidium parvum (20.

Early detection and identification of amphizoic amoebae from nasal exudates of a symptomatic case.

A man visited the Out Patient Department of the hospital for Tropical Diseases in February 2004 with low grade fever and severe headache for a week. He had the history of diving in a natural pond 2-3 days before the onset of the disease. A thick bloody mucous was observed from the nasal discharge.

Development of Isospora belli in Hct-8, Hep-2, human fibroblast, BEK and Vero culture cells.

The development of Isospora belli, a human coccidian parasite, was studied in different cell lines. Merozoites were observed in all kinds of cells, whereas sporogony was demonstrated only in Hct-8. This implied that not only the human cell line can be infected, but also some animal cell lines.

Cryptococcal meningitis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative patients.

This study compared clinical manifestations, blood biochemistry and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) results of HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients with cryptococcal meningitis. We collected 57 cases of cryptococcal meningitis from cytological specimens submitted to the Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine. Pertinent clinical data were analyzed retrospectively in 47 cases for clinical manifestations, laboratory features and outcomes of 38 HIV-positive and 9 HIV-negative patients.

Comparison of Cryptosporidium parvum development in various cell lines for screening in vitro drug testing.

This study describes the development of Cryptosporidium parvum in MDCK, MA-104, Hep-2 and Vero cell lines. Differences in susceptibility, infectivity, and the methodology of excystation were determined. Various solutions were considered to determine the factors which enhanced the excystation (eg with and without sodium hypochlorite, trypsin or sodium taurocholate).

Case report: intraocular gnathostomiasis in Vietnam.

This is the report of the first case of intraocular gnathostomiasis diagnosed in Vietnam. The disease progressed in two months in two distinct phases: in the first phase, the patient had swellings, which appeared at different times and in different locations, on his face--this phase lasted around one month; the second phase was the embedding of the parasite in the vitreous cavity of the right eye and uveitis. Surgical extraction of a living Gnathostoma larva was carried out.

Necropsy in HIV-infected patients.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)infection is usually followed by opportunistic infections, especially in the full-blown acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This study details the histopathological changes of different organs in relation to HIV infection, with particular emphasis on the opportunistic infections. Various organs from seventeen HIV-infected patients were collected by necropsy and analyzed for histopathological changes.

Cerebrospinal fluid analysis in eosinophilic meningoencephalitis.

Eosinophilic meningoencephalitis (EME) remains an important neurological disease and is widely distributed in Thailand. We analyzed the cytological specimens of 56 EME cases. Pertinent clinical data were analyzed retrospectively and correlated with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)analysis.

Opportunistic infections in the liver of HIV-infected patients in Thailand: a necropsy study.

Liver necropsy from patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus was analyzed in 117 cases. Wide ranges of opportunistic infections were recorded in 47%. Cryptococcosis (21.

Prognostic significance of skin and subcutaneous fat sequestration of parasites in severe falciparum malaria.

Intradermal blood smear, histopathologic and immunohistologic studies were performed in severe malaria (n=10) and uncomplicated malaria (n=10) patients during positive parasitemia and within 6 hours after negative parasitemia by finger prick smears. Intradermal blood smears showed asexual forms and intraleukocytic pigments when finger prick blood smears showed negative results; however intradermal blood smear did not indicate disease severity within 6 hours after negative parasitemia by finger prick. Histopathologic findings showed 15 fold higher parasitized red blood cells sequestered in vessels of subcutaneous fatty tissue in severe malaria than in uncomplicated malaria (p<0.

Inducible nitric oxide synthase expression is increased in the brain in fatal cerebral malaria.

Aims: Nitric oxide (NO) has been hypothesized to play a major role in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria caused by P. falciparum infection. NO may act as a local neuroactive mediator contributing to the coma of cerebral malaria (CM).

Cytokines associated with pathology in the brain tissue of fatal malaria.

Cytoadherence of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes to the brain microvascular endothelial cells is believed to be an important cause of circulatory blockage in cerebral malaria. Cytokines released during acute infection may activate brain endothelial cells leading to increased binding of infected erythrocytes in the brain and reduced cerebral blood flow. This effect may be direct and more potent with the tissue-localized cytokines in the brain.

Cytomegalovirus and Cryptosporidium infections in AIDS: a necropsy study.

A case of coinfection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Cryptosporidium in an AIDS patient is reported. Chronic diarrhea was the presenting symptom. Etiologic agents were diagnosed only at postmortem evaluation.

Opportunistic protozoa in stool samples from HIV-infected patients.

A retrospective study of stool samples of HIV-infected patients from January 1994 to December 1995 submitted to the Department of Tropical Pathology was analyzed. There were twenty-two cases, all of which presented with chronic diarrhea. Result showed that 50% were infected with protozoa.

Electron-microscopic examination of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi-infected human liver.

A 33 year-old Thai woman was diagnosed with scrub typhus infection according to clinical symptoms, eschar lesions compatible with the disease, and specific antibody to Rickettsia tsutsugamushi detected by indirect immunoperoxidase. Percutaneous transhepatic needle biopsies were taken before and 7 days after treatment with tetracycline to study the pathology of the liver. The liver tissue was evaluated by light microscopy, using H & E and Pinkerton's stains, and by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Imported cutaneous leishmaniasis in Thailand.

Eleven cases of imported cutaneous leishmaniasis are described based on clinical features such as sex, age, occupation, country visited prior to consultation, sites and numbers of lesions, duration of illness, treatment and outcomes. Ketoconazole was shown to be effective against imported cutaneous leishmaniasis. With the increasing numbers of cutaneous leishmaniasis due to exchange workers going to the endemic areas and the presence of vectors in some localities in Thailand, primary transmission of the disease in this country is possible if feeding habits of the vectors change.

Microsporidium: modified technique for light microscopic diagnosis.

Microsporiodosis caused by Enterocytozoon bieneusi is one of the opportunistic infections in HIV positive patients with chronic diarrhea. The organism is difficult to diagnose because of its small size, previously the diagnosis of this infection relied on identification of the organism under electron microscope. Until recently, the spores of this organism in stool specimens could be seen under light microscope by using various staining techniques.

Monoclonal antibody-based immunohistochemical demonstration of Entamoeba histolytica in liver tissues of experimentally infected hamster (Mesocricetus auratus).

Histopathological changes and the presence of Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites was sequentially followed after intrahepatic inoculation of the parasites in 42 hamsters, 35 of which received no treatment whereas the remaining seven were treated with metronidazole. The liver tissues were examined for amoebic trophozoites by a monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based immunofluorescence assay (IFA), a mAb-based immunoperoxidase (IPx) and H & E staining. The number of hamsters developing abscesses was increased with time and was highest on day 30.

Dyspepsia in acute falciparum malaria: a clinico-pathological correlation.

Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in acute falciparum malaria. Dyspepsia often occurs in such patients and sometimes it is exceptionally severe. However, the pathogenesis of the dyspeptic symptoms in malaria has not been clearly defined.

Microvascular sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes in human falciparum malaria: a pathological study.

Thirty-nine falciparum malaria autopsy cases from the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand were divided into two groups that had had either cerebral malaria (CM) or non-cerebral malaria (NCM). We then studied significant pathological differences between these groups in order to investigate the correlation between parasitized erythrocyte (PRBC) sequestration in small blood vessels in the brain, heart, lungs and small intestines. We found that the percentage of PRBC sequestration in the organs which we studied was higher in the CM patients than in the NCM patients.

Human cerebral malaria in Thailand: a clinico-pathological correlation.

Based on the cerebral malaria coma scale, 39 falciparum malaria autopsy cases from the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand were divided into two groups of patients that had either cerebral malaria or non-cerebral malaria. We then studied significant pathological differences, such as parasitized erythrocyte (PRBC) sequestration, ring hemorrhages and cerebral edema, between these two groups in order to investigate the correlation between the clinical coma scale and pathological findings. Patients with a coma grade of 2 and higher were designated as having cerebral malaria, and had erythrocyte PRBC sequestration in cerebral microvessels.

Subcutaneous phycomycosis mimics elephantiasis.

A case of subcutaneous phycomycosis involving the right thigh for 1 year duration which mimic elephantiasis was reported in a 21-year-old military man. An initial diagnosis was that of a subcutaneous tissue lesion attributed to parasitic manifestation but turned out to be that of subcutaneous fungal infection both clinically and histologically. The lesion was successfully treated with cotrimoxazole for a period of one month, and followed up for 4 1/2 months with complete cure.