Home Diseases and Health Information  

Home Home Translating Report News Physicians Diseases Body Sites Diseases and Health Information Search

Background

This fungal infection is caused by inhalation of the organism which is usually found in the soil.

EPIDEMIOLOGY CHARACTERIZATION
SYNONYMS South American Blastomycosis
GEOGRAPHY
Central and South America

 

LABORATORY/RADIOLOGY CHARACTERIZATION
LABORATORY  
CEREBROSPINAL FLUID  
Anti-gp43 Antibodies in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients With Central Nervous System Involvement by Paracoccidioidomycosis


Sérgio M. de Almeida, MD, PhD,1,3 Flávio Queiroz-Telles, MD, PhD,2 Elvira M. Doi,3 Margaret Ono,3 and Lineu C. Werneck, MD, PhD

Am J Clin Pathol 2002;118:864-868 Abstract quote

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease, endemic in subtropical areas of Central and South America. The diagnosis of the central nervous system (CNS) involvement with PCM (neuroparacoccidioidomycosis [NPCM]) frequently is difficult. A definitive diagnosis usually is made by visualization or isolation of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis from CNS biopsy or necropsy material.

In the present study, we determined the presence of anti-gp43 antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with CNS involvement in PCM by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 9 cases of NPCM and 15 control cases. ELISA anti-gp43 was compared with double immunodiffusion (DID). ELISA anti-gp43 was positive in 8 (89%) of 9 CSF samples from patients with NPCM and negative in all CSF samples of the control group. DID was negative in all CSF samples from patients with NPCM and control samples. ELISA anti-gp43 in CSF samples is better than DID for the diagnosis of NPCM.

It is a sensitive and specific diagnostic method and has high predictive values. To our knowledge, this is the first time ELISA anti-gp43 was applied to CSF.

 

GROSS APPEARANCE/CLINICAL VARIANTS CHARACTERIZATION
General  
VARIANTS  
Acute pulmonary disease
 
Chronic pulmonary disease
 
Disseminated infection

Acute disease occurs in adolescents and young adults and presents with polymorphous skin lesions, sparing the mucous membranes

Chronic disease has mucosal ulcerations of lips and mouth in 30-50% of patients

Primary cutaneous disease
 
Secondary cutaneous disease
 

 

HISTOLOGICAL TYPES CHARACTERIZATION
General

Mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate

Variably sized organisms ranging from 5-9 um

Single or multiple buds with distinct steering wheel appearance

Clin Infect Dis 1996;23:1026-1032.


Commonly Used Terms

Fungal

Basic Principles of Disease
Learn the basic disease classifications of cancers, infections, and inflammation

Commonly Used Terms
This is a glossary of terms often found in a pathology report.

Diagnostic Process
Learn how a pathologist makes a diagnosis using a microscope

Surgical Pathology Report
Examine an actual biopsy report to understand what each section means

Special Stains
Understand the tools the pathologist utilizes to aid in the diagnosis

How Accurate is My Report?
Pathologists actively oversee every area of the laboratory to ensure your report is accurate


Internet Links

Last Updated 12/10/2002

Send mail to The Doctor's Doctor with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2004 The Doctor's Doctor