Breast abscess due to Corynebacterium striatum

Corynebacterium striatum, a normal constituent of the skin flora, is rarely pathogenic. Previous reports of infection are few, and are mainly confined to immunosuppressed patients or those with indwelling prosthetic devices. We report a case in which the organism caused a recurrent breast abscess in a woman with normal immune function. The only previous reports of Corynebacterium striatum mastitis have been in cows.     

Lymph node abscess due to Actinomyces viscosus in a cat

In a four-year-old male cat, a subcutaneous phyma about 3.5 cm in diameter was surgically removed from the left inframandibular region. Histopathologically, the phyma was found to be the swollen medial retropharyngeal lymph node containing an actinomycotic abscess. The filamentous organisms in the abscess stained positively by the Gram's, Grocott's and periodic acid-Schiff methods, and were negative by the Ziehl-Neelsen method. By the immunoperoxidase method, the organisms were specifically identified as Actinomyces viscosus serotype 2 by its antiserum absorbed with A. viscosus serotype 1 antigen.     

Splenic abscess due to brucella in childhood. A case report

This experimental work was undertaken to study the difference in cell growth due to different attachment surface. Three types of attachment surface were studied (i) collagenized surface (ii) glass surface and (iii) plastic surface. Rat tail collagen suspension was prepared and coated on culture flasks. Human breast epithelial cells and breast carcinoma cells were cultured for three weeks. Cell counts were made before and after one, two and three weeks of culture. Out of five cases only two survived for more than a week. The best survival was observed on plastic surface. Collagenized and glass surfaces had similar results. Thus plastic surface is probably the best compared to glass and collagenized surface, possibly because the plastic surface provides better adhesion to malignant cells. It was also seen that in plastic surface the cells get lined up around a basement membrane like structure growing a resemblance to ductal structure. This is contradictory to the prevalent view that collagenized surface is best for in vitro growth and differentiation.     

Lung abscess due to Streptococcus mitis: case report and review

Streptococcus mitis is a bacterium traditionally regarded as a normal commensal of the oropharynx, skin, and intestinal and genital tracts. To our knowledge, we describe the first case of bilateral lung abscesses caused by S. mitis in an immunocompetent host. The abscesses were successfully treated with clindamycin and gentamicin. Our case illustrates that S. mitis should be considered a cause of pulmonary abscesses.     

Septic thrombosis of the portal vein due to peripancreatic ligamental abscess

Nitro reduction is a critical step in the mutagenic activation of nitroarene. Nitroarene and quinone are known to be reduced by common enzymes, and thus, naphthoquinone (NQ) was studied for its effects on the mutagenicity of nitroarene in the Ames test using Salmonella typhimurium TA98 without S9. The mutagenicity of 1,3-dinitropyrene in TA98 was found to increase 9- and 6-fold as much in the presence of 70 nmol/plate of 2-methyl-1,4-NQ and 2-hydroxy-1,4-NQ, respectively. Mutagenicity also became greater in 1,3,5-trinitronaphthalene, 1-nitropyrene and 3-nitrofluoranthene. Seventy nmol/plate of 2-methyl-1,4-NQ increased the mutagenicity of 1-nitropyrene by 10.5-fold as much.     

Encephalopathy due to capillary leak syndrome

Systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS) is characterized by intermittent attacks of leakage of intravascular fluids into the extravascular space. Hypovolemia, hemoconcentration, weakness, edema, and visceral congestion are resulting manifestations of SCLS. Most patients with SCLS have clear mentation during attacks, and encephalopathy is not a known manifestation of the syndrome. We report a patient with acute idiopathic capillary leak syndrome manifested in an acute encephalopathy. The possibility of SCLS should be considered in patients who have an encephalopathy and hemoconcentration.     

Perinephric abscess (presenting as abdominal pain) due to Listeria monocytogenes

The development of a haematoma after wide excision of breast tumours is not uncommon. Suction drainage is commonly used to prevent this but often increases the hospital stay and can create unsightly wounds. Argon beam coagulation is a new technique which permits large 'raw' areas to be coagulated with minimal tissue damage. We believe that this technique may reduce the development of haematomas and seromas after breast surgery. We present our initial results using argon beam coagulation after wide excision of breast tumours in 80 patients without suction drainage. One patient required a single aspiration of a seroma at the site of breast lump excision and none required surgical drainage. Argon beam coagulation appears a useful adjunct in breast surgery and may help reduce hospital stay.     

Subclinical Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal myelolipoma

We describe a patient with an incidental adrenal myelolipoma associated with biochemical evidence of Cushing's syndrome who lacked the physical stigmata of cortisol excess (subclinical Cushing's syndrome). Pathologic examination revealed the presence of adrenocortical cells mixed with myelolipomatous tissue. Although cases of clinically evident Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal myelolipomas have been reported previously, to our knowledge this is the first report associating adrenal myelolipoma and subclinical Cushing's syndrome.     

Fistulas are not always due to Crohn''s disease: an unusual groin abscess

A 53-year-old woman with a complete C-7 traumatic quadriplegia developed progressive neurological deterioration, including bulbar symptoms, 3 years after her initial injury. Magnetic resonance imaging showed tethering of the spinal cord at the level of her injury, with marked stretching of the cervical cord associated with medullary and tonsillar herniation. Following transection of the spinal cord, there was some improvement in her condition. Possible etiological factors accounting for this unique presentation are discussed.     

Acute hepatitis during hypersensitivity syndrome due to midecamycin

We report here the first case of symptomatic acute hepatic injury due to midecamycin in a 58-year-old man. The clinical picture was compatible with a hypersensitivity syndrome with cutaneous, renal and hepatic involvement. Liver eosinophil polynuclear infiltrate, hypereosinophilia and acute interstitial nephritis were consistent with the hypothesis of an immunoallergic mechanism.     

Breast abscess with lethal septicemia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a patient with AIDS

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in HIV-infected patients has increased over the last years. We describe a case of pseudomonal breast abscess complicated with fatal septicemia in an AIDS patient. CASE REPORT: A 21-year-old woman was admitted for fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and pain in the breast. She had a swelling in the right breast of 3 days duration. HIV infection had been confirmed 6 years earlier. CD4 count was 2/mm3. Surgical drainage produced a blue-green purulent discharge which grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa on culture. Despite cloxacilin, then ceftazidime and amikacin, initial improvement was followed 2 weeks later by nodular pulmonary infiltration with cavitation. P. aeruginosa was recovered from sputum and blood cultures, but stepwise resistance developed and the patient died 3 months after admission. DISCUSSION: Breast abscesses are infrequent in nonlactating women. P. aeruginosa is rarely involved, even in HIV patients. Due to the risk of resistance, prompt administration of appropriate antibiotics is required.