Gonadal dysgenesis: case report

A case of gonadal dysgenesis is reported in an 18 year old Ethiopian boy who had a normal scrotum, a single descended gonad which is cytologically proven to be streak (dysfunctional) with undescended left gonad, a hypoplastic phallus with hypospadias and genitogram showing vaginal canal, uterus and fallopian tubes.

Reduced virulence of rifampicin-resistant mutants of Francisella tularensis

Rifampicin-resistant mutants of a live vaccine strain (LVS) of Francisella tularensis were produced and screened for virulence in mice; 4 avirulent clones with intraperitoneal (ip) LD50s > 10(6) cfu, compared with 10(2) cfu for LVS, were characterized. Growth characteristics at 37 degrees C, surface envelope proteins, and lipopolysaccharide profiles of resistant mutants were identical to those of LVS. Polymerase activity of the mutants was more resistant than the enzyme from LVS to the inhibitory action of rifampicin. Growth rates for mutants and LVS were similar during the first 5 h at 42 degrees C, but viability of the mutants decreased to < 0.01% at 24 h. LVS and mutants differed in their ability to grow in vitro in host macrophages: LVS increased 580-fold over 72 h; mutants increased 33-fold. After ip inoculation of the organisms into mice, increasing numbers of LVS from peritoneal cells were isolated; mutants decreased over 4 days.

Sero-epidemiological survey of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia the prevalence of IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii has been determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). One thousand and sixteen sera collected in six different geographical regions were analyzed. Antibody titres > 15 IU/ml were detected in 74.4% of the specimens, titres exceeding 200 IU/ml in one third of the ELISA-positive sera. The highest antibody titres were found in children and 75% of young adults had sero-converted. As infection with the human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) frequently leads to a resurgence of toxoplasmosis, the diagnosis of T. gondii encephalitis should be considered in the clinical management of the HIV-immunocompromised Ethiopian patients.