Placental and fetal candidiasis

The authors present a case of intrauterine fetal infection by Candida, in an abortion of four months, associated with an I.U.D. In the placenta and adnexa we observed an acute inflammation consisting of extraplacental membranitis, omphalitis, chorio-amnionitis and choriovasculitis with a marked villitis and intervillitis. In the fetus, involvement of the skin, lungs and pharynx was observed.This case represents, probably the 15th reported instance of congenital fetal candidiasis, and the first case of a Candida hematogenic placental infection acquired from the fetal blood. The fetus undoubtedly acquired its infection by an ascending route, through the contamined amniotic fluid.     

Distinct ultrastructural aspects in different biopsies of a single patient with diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis

The authors investigated the relation between parasites and host-cells in active and regressed lesions of a patient with diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis, evaluating the frequency of different cell types, and the location and integrity of amastigotes. No correlation was found between parasite integrity and size of parasitophorous vacuoles. They observed ultrastructural findings characterizing a cell mediated immune response: macrophages lysis, parasitic destruction inside macrophages, close contact between parasitized macrophages and lymphocytes and between parasites and lymphocytes, lymphocytic infiltration and fibrosis. They suggest that in DCL there is a limited cellular immune response, although insufficient to control infection.