Hansenologia internationalis最新文献

The phagocytosis and lysis of Candida albicans and Candida pseudotropicalis by human neutrophils were examined in 43 hanseniasis patients (19 quiescent virchowians, 12 reactional virchowians and 12 tuberculoid patients) and 15 healthy subjects. The purpose of this study was to determine whether neutrophils from hanseniasis patients were altered in their enzyme systems myeloperoxidase-dependent (tested by lysin of Candida albicans) and myeloperoxidase-independent (tested by lysin of Candida pseudotropicalis). The results indicate that polymorphonuclear neutrophils of hanseniasis patients had a similar candidacidal activity that human normal neutrophils (p greater than 0.2) in their myeloperoxidase-dependent and myeloperoxidase-independent systems. The enzymatic system activity is also similar in all clinical forms of hanseniasis (p greater than 0.3).

A study was made in twenty inpatients of the "Hospital das Clínicas" of the "Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo" in order to compare the short-term activities of the Brazilian made imidphtalic glutamic acid and of the triancinolone in the therapy of the hansenic reaction of the Virchowian hanseniasis (in the erythema nodosum and in the erythema multiform syndromes as well). In this research it was observed that the therapeutic activities of both drugs present a perfect and undeniable equivalence and that their use have reduced the period of hospitalization to 8,3 days per each patient.

Some classifications of Leprosy currently in use are reviewed and the difficulties of their application in field work are analysed. While it is recognized the scientific value of these classifications in order to identify precisely the clinical, bacteriological, histological and immunological aspects of the disease, an alternative simplified classification is suggested, to be used in control programmes. In this classification clinical forms that require the same public health action are put together. Thus, clinical forms are reduced to three basic groups. The clinical and laboratory criteria which define each group are presented, as well as the correlation between this simplified classification and the classic one.

The authors discuss the present conceptions of the hanseniasis classification, establish the main clinical, histological, bacterioscopic and immunological characteristics of the borderline and indeterminate groups. They also believe that the borderline group is genetically pre-determined and show the importance of the indeterminate forms and its evolutionary aspects. They try a schematic process of classification from the Rabello's polar conception and conclude stating that the closing of the borderline groups within itself, with special characteristics, oscillating in a defined spectrum without touching the extremes T and V (L).

An inquiry was made among various organs of the Public Health Service of the State of S. Paulo, Brazil, members of the Scientific Council and Editorial Board of "Hansenologia Internationalis", and Professors of Dermatology, Bacteriology, Neurology, Pathology and Preventive Medicine of Brazil, having in view the possibility of using the term Mycobacterium hansenii in that periodical, as a substitute for Mycobacterium leprae. The results were considered favorable to the change and led to the adoption of the new term by the Institute of Health, which publishes the periodical. The First Congress of Hansenology of the Endemic Countries and the Third Brazilian Congress of Hansenology, held in Rio de Janeiro, November 1980, were informed of the change and resolved to introduce Myco. hansenii as a synonym for Myco.leprae, upon a recommendation of their Workshops on Bacteriology. Appeals are made to the International Committee of Systematic Bacteriology and Societies of Bacteriology of the whole world to study the grave moral, social, medical and preventive problems caused by the "bacteriological stigma" in endemic Christian countries.

An unusual manifestation of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) in a female, 24 years old, whose clinical history and picture was suggestive of acute systemic erythematous lupus rather than hanseniasis is described and commented. The diagnosis of ENL was attained only after it was demonstrated the presence of AAR bacilli in the ulcerated lesions.

The reversal or inversal reactions, well studied in some research centers, is still imperfectly known, even contested or denied. This lack of knowledge has been one of the hindrances in the understanding of the mechanism of the hansenic neuritis. The evolution of the concepts about this question is studied, starting with Souza Lima and Souza Campos (1950), followed by Tajiri (1955), up to the present "I reaction" of Jopling, involving the "up grading" and "down grading" reactions. An interpretation of the reactional mechanism is given, with better possibilities for the understanding of clinical aspects and for therapy.