[Pleural and ascitic fluid infection by Listeria monocytogenes. Report of one case].

Ascitic and pleural fluids infection by Listeria monocytogenes is uncommon. The association of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and empyema caused by this microorganism has been seldom reported. A 61-year-old male with an alcoholic cirrhosis and an upper right lobectomy for a lung cancer, consulted because of an exacerbation of dyspnea, abdominal pain and fever.

Fournier's gangrene following botulinum toxin injection.

Fournier's gangrene is a form of necrotizing fasciitis of the perineal region that frequently affects immunocompromised patients. In most cases the point of entry of the infecting microorganisms goes undetected. A case of necrotizing fasciitis was diagnosed in a 77-year-old male with diabetes mellitus following an injection of botulinum toxin in the anal sphincter to treat an anal fissure.

[Neurological involvement in Wegener's granulomatosis: report of one case].

Wegener's granulomatosis is a systemic necrotizing vasculitis that affects medium size and small vessels. Neurological involvement occurs in 22% to 54% of patients, mainly in the form of mononeuritis multiplex. Central nervous system involvement is reported in only 2% to 8% of the cases.

[Infective endocarditis in an internal medicine ward].

Background: Due to the increasing number of intravenous drug users, subjects with immune deficiencies or with prosthetic valves, infective endocarditis (IE) continues to be prevalent and to have a high mortality.

Aim: To review all cases of infective endocarditis diagnosed in an Internal Medicine Service.

Material And Methods: Retrospective review of medical records of all patients with infective endocarditis, hospitalized in an Internal Medicine ward, between 1989 and 2003.

Serum levels of cytokeratin-18 (tissue polypeptide-specific antigen) in liver diseases.

Objective: The tissue polypeptide-specific antigen (TPS, cytokeratin-18, a normal constituent of the hepatocyte cytoskeleton) is a standard tumour marker. This study aimed to evaluate serum TPS levels in patients with liver disease.

Methods: Serum TPS was measured with a commercial immunoassay in 884 individuals (753 outpatients from a liver disease clinic, 131 patients admitted to the hospital with acute liver disease).