C. Mohanty

Oxidative stress in children with severe malaria.

Fifty cases of severe malaria were studied for their oxidant and antioxidant status. Severe anemia (54%) was the most common presentation followed by hyperpyrexia, cerebral malaria and jaundice. Plasma malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl, nitrite, ascorbic acid and copper levels were significantly raised in cases as compared with controls (p < 0.001). Plasma ceruloplasmin, glutathione and superoxide dismutase levels were significantly decreased in children with severe malaria (p < 0.001). Plasma zinc was increased in cases but difference is not statistically significant. Significantly decreased level of nitrites and increased value of glutathione was found in patients with hemoglobinuria and jaundice, respectively. The significantly elevated malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl levels reflect the increased oxidative stress, whereas decreased levels of glutathione and superoxide dismutase point toward utilization of the antioxidants in severe malaria. Thus, changes in oxidants and antioxidants observed suggest the production of reactive oxygen species and their possible role in pathogenesis of severe malaria.

Cysticercal encephalitis with cortical blindness

The authors report a 6-year-old boy, who had presented with low-grade fever, altered sensorium, headache and seizure for 5 days. On examination, he had features of raised intracranial pressure with left VI cranial-nerve palsy and bilateral extensor plantar response. CT scan showed multiple calcifications in cerebral cortex. MRI cranium showed multiple cysts involving whole of the brain. He was diagnosed as having cysticercal encephalitis, based on immunological and imaging study. He was managed with 20% mannitol, phenytoin and albendazole, and regained consciousness 7 days later, but had residual neurological deficit as left-lower-limb monoparesis and visual acuity of just projection of rays (PR+) and perception of light (PL+).

Sturge-Weber Syndrome with Corpus Callosum Agenesis-A Case Report

Abstract Sturge weber syndrome is a neurocutaneous disease that manifests with vascular malformations involving the brain, eye and skin. It is a rare disorder that occurs with a sporadic frequency of 1:50000. The condition is characterized by facial nevus, seizures and intracranial calcifications. We present a case of sturge weber syndrome with corpus callosal agenesis; unreported in literature. An eight year old boy presented with generalized tonic clonic seizures. There was port wine stain over right upper half of the face and eyelid. CT scan of brain showed atrophy of right occipital lobe with a gyriform calcification in parasaggital region. The posterior horns of the lateral ventricles were dilated. The third ventricle was communicating with inter hemispheric fissure suggesting agenesis of corpus callosum. The angiomatosis might have caused agenesis of corpus callosum either by tissue hypoxia or by mechanical interference of the development.

Spontaneous Intrauterine Repairment of Cleft Palate Induced by Amniocentesis in Rats

On day 15 of gestation, 180 fetal sacs in 43 pregnant Charles Foster rats were subjected to amniocentesis producing a series of total or partial clefts in the hard and soft palate regions. Fetuses recovered on days 19, 20 or 21 showed a gradual decline in the incidence of total clefts with increasing gestational age, i.e. 34% on day 19, 29% on day 20 and 13% on day 21, suggesting spontaneous ‘repairment’ of the clefts induced by amniotic sac puncture. Prenatal ‘repairment’ at times leaving residual partial clefts in the hard palate, suggested delayed rotation of the palatine shelves following reaccumulation of lost quantity of amniotic fluid and withdrawal of tongue obstruction. The experiment suggested that the palatine shelves retain intrinsic ‘shelf force’ for a much longer period than thought earlier. However, a gradual increase in the incidence of residual partial cleft with increasing gestational age, i.e. 45% on day 19; 50% on day 20 and 67% on day 21, respectively, suggests only incomplete (partial) repair in most of the cases probably due to paucity of time.