NEET MDS Lessons
General Pathology
Chronic hepatitis
Chronic hepatitis occurs in 5%-10% of HBV infections and in well over 50% of HCV; it does not occur in HAV. Most chronic disease is due to chronic persistent hepatitis. The chronic form is more likely to occur in the very old or very young, in males, in immunocompromised hosts, in Down's syndrome, and in dialysis patients.
a. Chronic persistent hepatitis is a benign, self-limited disease with a prolonged recovery. Patients are asymptomatic except for elevated transaminases.
b. Chronic active hepatitis features chronic inflammation with hepatocyte destruction, resulting in cirrhosis and liver failure.
(1) Etiology. HBV, HCV, HDV, drug toxicity, Wilson's disease, alcohol, a,-antitrypsin deficiency, and autoimmune hepatitis are common etiologies.
(2) Clinical features may include fatigue, fever, malaise, anorexia, and elevated liver function tests.
(3) Diagnosis is made by liver biopsy.
8. Carrier state for HBV and HCV may be either asymptomatic or with liver disease; in the latter case, the patient has elevate transaminases.
a. Incidence is most common in immunodeficient, drug addicted, Down's syndrome, and dialysis patients.
b. Pathology of asymptomatic carriers shows "ground-glass"" hepatocytes with finely granular eosinophilic cytoplasm.
STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS
Most streptococci are normal flora of oropharynx
Group A streptococci: Str. pyogenes
Group B streptococci: Str. agalactiae
Str. pneumoniae
Strep viridans group
Group D: Enterococcus (lately Strep. Fecalis and E. fecium), causes urinary tract infections,
Rheumatic fever
Before antibiotic therapy, this was the most common cause of valvular disease.
1. Usually preceded by a group A streptococci respiratory infection; for example, strep throat.
2. All three layers of the heart may be affected. The pathologic findings include Aschoff bodies, which are areas of focal necrosis surrounded by a dense inflammatory infiltration.
3. Most commonly affects the mitral valve, resulting in mitral valve stenosis, regurgitation, or both.
Blastomycosis (North American Blastomycosis; Gilchrist's Disease)
A disease caused by inhalation of mold conidia (spores) of Blastomyces dermatitidis, which convert to yeasts and invade the lungs, occasionally spreading hematogenously to the skin or focal sites in other tissues.
Pulmonary blastomycosis tends to occur as individual cases of progressive infection
Symptoms are nonspecific and may include a productive or dry hacking cough, chest pain, dyspnea, fever, chills, and drenching sweats. Pleural effusion occurs occasionally. Some patients have rapidly progressive infections, and adult respiratory distress syndrome may develop.
Bacterial meningitis (pyogenic, suppurative infections)
1. Common causes include:
a. Escherichia coli in newborns.
b. Haemophilus influenzae in infants and children.
c. Neisseria meningitides in young adults.
d. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Listeria monocytogenes in older adults.
Clinical findings include severe headache, irritability, fever, and a stiff neck.
a. A spinal tap shows CSF fluid that is cloudy or purulent and is under increased pressure. There is also an increase in protein and a decrease in glucose levels.
3. Can be fatal if left untreated.
Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi (Filariasis)
- the microfilaria of Wuchereria bancrofti or Brugia malayi (nematodes) are transmitted to man by the bite of infected mosquitoes (Anophele, Aedes, Culex).
- microfilaria characteristically circulate in the bloodstream at night and enter into the lymphatics, where they mature and produce an inflammatory reaction resulting in lymphedema (elephantiasis) of the legs, scrotum, etc.
Neutrophilia
Causes
-Pyogenic infections.
-Haemorrhage and trauma.
-Malignancies.
-Infarction.
-Myelo proliferative disorders.