Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0038002 (splenomegaly)
 9,873 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Human infection with Schistosoma haematobium and/or Schistosoma mansoni is known to be widespread in central Liberia, but no information is available about its clinical manifestations or its significance for public health. Details of a cross-sectional morbidity study are reported. A sample from hospital out-patients and samples from 3 villages situated in areas with different transmission patterns (lack of transmission, transmission of only S. haematobium and transmission of both S. haematobium and S. mansoni) were examined. All 184 individuals were examined by standardized case history, clinical and parasitological investigations, including a skin snip for onchocerciasis and a count of schistosomal and other intestinal worm eggs from stool and urine. A complete blood count, urine analysis, urine cultures, hepatitis-B surface antigen determination and abdominal X-rays were also carried out. Schistosomal egg counts ranged from 1 to 6200/10 ml urine for S. haematobium and from 1 to 228/g stool for S. mansoni. Difficulties for the definition of accurate morbidity indices are discussed. Except for haematuria and dysuria, the overall morbidity in the study area was not striking, neither for S. haematobium nor for S. mansoni infection. No cumulative pathology was observed in patients with mixed infection. The frequency of hypertension, hepato- and splenomegaly, ascites and bacteriuria was low and no relationship to schistosomiasis could be established. Bladder calcifications were found in 10% of people living in an area of transmission of S. haematobium. Although the intensity of infection is low for both S. haematobium and S. mansoni, long-term follow-up studies are essential for a more accurate assessment of the public health importance of these parasites.
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PMID:The impact of schistosomiasis among rural populations in Liberia. 613 75

Clinical, biochemical and histological features of chronic hepatitis type B were studied in 29 children aged 8 months to 13 years. On entry into the study, all were known to have had hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) with elevated serum transaminase levels for at least six months. A possible source of infection was found in 15 children. When they entered the study, all patients were anicteric and all but one asymptomatic. Hepatomegaly was detected in 15 patients and was associated with splenomegaly in two. Hypergammaglobulinemia was present in 4 children. Serological evaluation of hepatitis B virus markers showed evidence of complete viral replication (HBeAg positivity) in 24 cases and incomplete replication (anti-HBeAg positivity) in 5. Liver histology showed chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH) in 18 children, and chronic aggressive hepatitis (CAH) in 10 (3 moderately active and 7 with major signs of aggressivity ) associated with cirrhosis in 5. One patient had only minimal histological changes. Evaluation of clinical, biochemical and virological parameters did not strictly parallel the histological diagnosis in terms of "activity" of the disease. Follow-up for a mean period of 13 months showed good clinical tolerance to the disease in both CPH and CAH patients. Only 2 children with CAH were given corticosteroids and/or azathioprine for a short period. During follow-up no children with active disease developed liver insufficiency or evidence of portal hypertension. No significant difference in the percentage of children who had seroconversion to antiHBe was found between CPH and CAH groups. Only one child with CAH became HBsAg negative.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[Chronic HB virus hepatitis in children. A study of 29 cases]. 632 26

Previous reports have suggested that idiopathic portal hypertension, a condition quite distinct from tropical splenomegaly syndrome, occurs in Kenya. In the present study patients with oesophageal varices were allocated to diagnostic groups on the basis of liver histology and results of splenoportovenography , and these groups were then compared for prevalence of hepatitis B markers, immunoglobulin levels and results of enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) for S. mansoni infection. 85 patients with oesophageal varices were studied. 29.4% had histological evidence of Schistosoma mansoni infection, 20% had cirrhosis and in 25.9% liver histology was non-diagnostic and the portal vein was radiologically shown to be patent. A comparison of clinical findings, serological data and parasitological investigations suggested that this latter group was a distinct one, and did no result from failure of histological diagnosis of cirrhosis or schistosomiasis. It is likely that these patients had idiopathic portal hypertension. In 82 normal controls, the carrier rate of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was 12.2%, 59.8% had antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs) and 7.3% showed antibody to core antigen (anti-HBc) as the only viral marker. 58.3% of the cirrhotics and 26.7% of patients with probable idiopathic portal hypertension were HbsAg positive. The implications of these results, and limited data on hepatitis Be antigen and antibody are discussed.
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PMID:Portal hypertension in Nairobi, Kenya. 667 49

We review asymptomatic splenomegaly in Indochinese refugees and provide recommendations for evaluation of the problem. Prevalence of splenomegaly in newly arrived Indochinese refugees was 2.5%, three times more prevalent in the Hmong than in the non-Hmong refugees. Male Hmong refugees aged 15 to 29 years had the highest prevalence (10%). For the 50 Hmong refugees studied, there was no evidence that their splenomegaly was caused by clonorchiasis, schistosomiasis, tuberculosis, syphillis, lymphoma, tropical splenomegaly syndrome, or clinical malaria. Cases were more likely to have hepatomegaly, hepatitis B surface antigen positivity, and a low mean corpuscular volume than a reference population of Hmong refugees. Malaria antibody titers were elevated in all but one of the 41 cases (98%) tested.
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PMID:Splenomegaly in Hmong refugees. 669 60

Forty-one Egyptian schoolchildren (36 boys and five girls; age, 12-16 years) who were heavily infected with Schistosoma mansoni were studied. Symptomatic subjects had swimmer's itch and hematochezia. Hepatomegaly was found in 39 and splenomegaly in 31 children. All subjects had eosinophilia, 13 had anemia, 31 had elevated levels of serum globulins, and nine had elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase. All but one subject had antibody to hepatitis A virus, and 26 had antibody to hepatitis B core antigen, antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen, or both. Oxamniquine was given in single daily doses of 20 mg/kg of body weight for either two or three days and cured 50% and 85%, respectively, of subjects treated; ova excretion was reduced by 86%-93% for up to 12 months. Morbidity was associated with heavy S. mansoni infection. Therapy with oxamniquine was safe and efficacious.
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PMID:Clinical characteristics and response to therapy in Egyptian children heavily infected with Schistosoma mansoni. 708 3

A patient with leukemic reticuloendotheliosis had splenomegaly, neutropenia, and a severe underproduction anemia. During a three-year period, the hematocrit was never in the normal range, and periodic transfusions were required. However, after an episode of hepatitis that was positive for B surface antigen, the spleen became smaller, the number of neutrophils increased, the transfusion requirement disappeared, and the hematocrit rose to normal. Several mechanisms for this observation are proposed.
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PMID:Beneficial effect of hepatitis in leukemic reticuloendotheliosis. 724 95

A study of 90 asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers in Jerusalem showed a predominance of males over females (4:1) and of North African Jews over Jews of European or American Origin. The predominance of males remained apparent, but was not significant, when origin was controlled. Possible sources of infection were contact with jaundiced patients (29%), dental treatment (58%) and drug addiction (8%). Fifty-one percent had hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) of the IgM class, 2% had hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg), 94% hepatitis B e-antibody (anti-HBe) and 93% had hepatitis A antibody (anti-HAV). Fourty-two percent had donated blood at least once prior to the detection of the carrier state. Fifty-five percent of 128 asymptomatic family contacts had evidence of hepatitis B virus infection. Minor abnormalities in liver function tests were found in 22% of the carriers and splenomegaly in 11%. Of ten liver biopsies performed in these cases, one had chronic active hepatitis, five had minimal histological changes, and four were normal.
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PMID:Study of 90 hepatitis B surface antigen carriers in Israel. 726

Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) was detected by agar gel diffusion in the serum of four Ugandan adults (three patients with tropical splenomegaly syndrome and one healthy adult) who did not have detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) by radioimmunoassay. Two of them had antibody to hepatitis B core antigen, and the other two had antibody to HBsAg. Detection of HBeAg by a relatively insensitive immunodiffusion test in the absence of HBsAg detectable by a sensitive radioimmunoassay suggested that production or removal of these two antigens may occur independently.
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PMID:Hepatitis B e antigen in the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen. 736 79

The epidemiological features of malaria were studied through seven community-based surveys in a population of 4000 in the Wosera area, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. Prevalence of parasitaemia (all species, all ages) was 60%. Plasmodium falciparum was the predominant species in all surveys (55%), followed by P. vivax (25%) and P. malariae (20%). The highest prevalence for asexual forms of P. falciparum occurred in the 5-9-year age group, whereas P. falciparum gametocytaemia and P. vivax parasitaemia were observed most frequently in the 1-4-year age group and P. malariae in the 10-15-year age group. Mean densities of all species decreased with age except for that of P. malariae, which was lower in children aged < 1 year than in those aged 1-4 years. The prevalence of enlarged spleen was 57% in children and 10% in adults and closely matched the corresponding age-related parasite rate. Seroprevalence of antibody to the major merozoite surface antigen 2 rapidly increased with age, with > 90% of individuals older than 5 years being positive. Malariological indices showed irregular changes over time but there was no clear-cut seasonal pattern. The geographical distribution of these indices and immune responses was not uniform within the study area. Bednet use and drug consumption were negatively correlated with malariometric indices. Identification of significant temporal and local variations in malaria endemicity is important for the design and evaluation of intervention studies, including field trials of an antimalarial vaccine.
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PMID:The epidemiology of malaria in the Wosera area, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, in preparation for vaccine trials. I. Malariometric indices and immunity. 748 23

Autonomous, factor-independent growth and differentiation of malignant cells in preleukemic and leukemic disease states is a well-recognized phenomenon and is often associated with a poor prognosis. Mast cells are distinct hematopoietic cells and express a unique profile of antigens. Growth and differentiation of normal mast cells is dependent on mast cell growth factor (MGF), the ligand of the c-kit protooncogene product. In this study, we screened for mast cell-lineage involvement in 52 patients suffering from myeloid leukemias, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), systemic mastocytosis, or other diseases by probing for mast cell-related molecules (c-kit, tryptase, histamine, and MGF) and by analyzing kit ligand/MGF-independent growth of mast cells in long-term suspension culture. Of the 52 patients tested, 2 patients with refractory anemia with excess of blast cells in transformation and 1 patient suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia blast crisis (CML-BC) were diagnosed as mastocytic disease. These patients were characterized by complex chromosomal abnormalities, splenomegaly, high percentages of circulating metachromatic cells (5% to 25%), high levels of cellular tryptase (> 10 ng/10(5) peripheral blood mononuclear cells/mL) and a tryptase/histamine (ng:ng) ratio greater than 1. The metachromatic cells expressed the mast-cell-related surface antigen c-kit, but not basophil-related antigens (CD11b, CDw17). Furthermore, in these 3 patients, spontaneous, MGF-independent growth of mast cells along with spontaneous synthesis of tryptase was demonstrable in long-term culture. No autocrine production, paracrine production, or overproduction of MGF was found. The spontaneous growth of mast cells could neither be abbrogated by addition of monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to c-kit nor by MoAbs against MGF (< 5% inhibition), whereas factor (MGF)-dependent differentiation of mast cells in these patients could be abbrogated by MoAbs to c-kit or MoAbs to MGF (> 70% inhibition, P < .001). In addition, serum MGF levels in these patients were within the normal range and MGF could not be detected in cell-free culture supernatants. All 3 patients showed rapid progression of disease and had a survival time of less than 1 year. In conclusion, we describe a unique form of transformation in MDS and CML-BC characterized by mast cell lineage involvement and factor-independent differentiation of mast cells. This form of leukemic transformation has to be delineated from chronic myeloid leukemia with basophilia or basophil crisis, from primary mast cell leukemia, and from monocytic leukemias and myelodysplastic disorders associated with basophilia.
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PMID:Kit ligand/mast cell growth factor-independent differentiation of mast cells in myelodysplasia and chronic myeloid leukemic blast crisis. 752 72


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