Candida Albicans Ventriculitis Post Trans-Sphenoidal Surgery

Candida infection of the central nervous system (CNS) is relatively unusual in children. It is commonly reported among premature neonates and immunocompromised or post-surgical patients. Patients undergone neurosurgical procedure are at particular risk as the use of CSF shunt devices is a common practice in neurosurgery and infection of the shunt is the most frequently reported complication. Herein, we report an unusual presentation of Candida albicans meningitis and ventriculitis in a young child who underwent transsphenoidal surgery.

Case report:

A four and half-year-old female child was admitted to the pediatric ward of our hospital with fever and excessive sleep since one week. Two weeks before admission she underwent trans-sphenoidal removal of suprasellar pilocytic astrocytoma complicated by ventricular dilatation. Read more>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

4q- Deletion Syndrome: Psychiatric Symptoms in a Rare Chromosomal Disorder

Developmental disorders comprise a heterogeneous group of conditions characterized by an interruption in normal development during childhood with many etiologies. These include individuals with genetic syndromes, autism spectrum disorders and individuals who have suffered medical or environmental insults in the prenatal period or during childhood.

The prevalence of depression, anxiety and psychosis is high in this population, with 30-64% of patients developing comorbid psychiatric conditions. We report the case of an 18 years old man with karyotype 46, XY, del (4)(q21.1q21.3), and describe his psychiatric symptoms and respective management. The term 4q- syndrome was used for the first time by Townes and colleagues referring to chromosome deletions at the breakpoint 4q31, and was later extended to include terminal deletions. Read more>>>>>>>>>>

Zoonotic Diseases and One Health Approach

One Health is not a new concept. Hippocrates, the famous ancient Greek physician, wrote “Airs, Waters, and Places” promoting the concept of health through a clean environment. Rudolf Virchow, the German physician considered the father of pathology, coined the term, “zoonosis.” 

He stated, “Between animal and human medicine there are no dividing lines- nor should there be.”This recognition that human and animal health are linked is as important now as ever. More than 60% of pathogens that cause diseases in humans are zoonotic- diseases of animals that can infect people. And over 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic as well. Zoonotic diseases are emerging into human populations as the natural world is being increasingly disrupted and degraded.  Read more>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Neurocysticercosis: Clinical Aspects, Immunopathology, Diagnosis, Treatment and Vaccine Development

There are two types of pathologies caused by Taenia solium infection. The first one is taeniosis, which is caused by the adult parasite that develops exclusively in human intestine. The second one, dealswith the infection caused by the larval form, named Cysticercosis (CC). 

Cysticerci develop in the skeletic muscle, the subcutaneous tissue, and mainly in the central nervous system (CNS), where they lead to a clinical pleomorphic disorder known as neurocysticercosis (NCC). This is the most frequent parasitic disease of the CNS, it also can infect the eyes (ophthalmic cysticercosis), where the larvae can lodge in the retina or in the vitreous humour. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated more than 2.5 million people are infected with T. solium around the world, and 50 thousand deaths a year can be attributed to NCC.  Read more>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Detection of Classical Swine Fever Virus by a Surface Plasmon Resonance Assay

Classical swine fever disease, a major concern in the swine-related populations, is caused by classical swine fever virus (CSFV) which belongs to the same flavivirus family of other human pathogens, namely Dengue fever virus, Yellow fever virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and Tick-borne encephalitis virus. CSFV is anenveloped RNA virus, with a diameter of 40-60 nm and consisting of 12.3 kb witha genome size poly protein coding for 3898 amino acids. 

CSFV causes classical swine fever (CSF) characterized by acute haemorrhagic thrombocytopenia and immunosuppression. In less virulent strains of CSFV long-term persistence and inherited disease to offspring can occur. Commonly CSFV antigens could be traced from crude or impure samples with low concentrations of viruses by fluorescent antibody and ELISA. For convenience Risatti and co-workers developed a portable real-time RT PCR assay for in situ CSFV detection. The development of multiplex real-time RT PCR (RT-MRT-PCR) offers dual purpose, CSFV detection and genotyping, and for the quantitative and also differential detection of wild-type viruses from C-strain of CSFV in vaccinated swine herds. Read more>>>>>>>>>>>>>

On the Origin of Syphilis and Contemporary Views of Disease Dynamics

Despite syphilis being a disease of antiquity, diagnosis and treatment remains problematic globally due to a complex biologic pathogen/host relationship and the spread of the disease embedded in human behavior. First documented as anindependent disease in 1495, the origin of syphilis has been ambiguous for over500 years.

In the past century, there have been several approaches to investigate the origins of syphilis, but without definitive outcome. A viable syphilis control option became available in the 20th century with the discovery of penicillin, leading to cost effective and safer treatment compared to prior use of mercury- and arsenic-containing compounds. However, despite the availability of antibiotics that can successfully treat syphilis, the disease waxes and wanes at various times and among certain social groups or settings, due in part to risky sexual behavior, a complex clinical presentation (multiple clinical stages including a latent stage where there are no clinical signs), diagnostic challenges and spontaneous healing or unnoticed lesions resulting in failure to seek clinical care or sexual partners not being referred for treatment.   Read more>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Utilizing Nanotechnology to Combat Malaria

Malaria is a potentially fatal disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. In humans disease is due to Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, or P.knowlesi. Infection is spread through the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. 

While person-to-person transmission is not described for malaria the life cycle of the parasite in the blood allows the pathogen to be transmitted from mother to child, and through blood transfusions and organ transplants. Malaria thrives in tropical and subtropical regions. The World Health Organization estimates that in 2013 there were almost 200 million cases malaria and more than 500,000 deaths. Most of these occurred among African children.  Read more>>>>>>>