Eosinophilic myelitis (EM) or atopic myelitis is a rare disease characterized by a myelitic condition in the spinal cord combined with allergic process. This disease has specific features of elevated serum IgE level, active reaction to mite specific antigen and stepwise progression of mostly the sensory symptoms. Toxocariasis can be related with a form of EM. This report describes two cases of cervical eosinophilic myelitis initially considered as intramedullary tumors. When a differential diagnosis of the intramedullary spinal cord lesion is in doubt, evaluation for eosinophilic myelitis and toxocariasis would be beneficial.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Eosinophils ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Mites ; Myelitis ; Rare Diseases ; Spinal Cord ; Toxocariasis

The laparoscopy-assisted hepatic resection has been introduced for solitary benign or malignant hepatic tumors. We successfully had undergone left lateral sectionectomy with assistance of laparoscopy. Forty-three year old male patient was admitted for diagnosis of liver mass. Abdominal computed tomography showed a 2 cm sized single nodular tumor in segment 3 which was consistent with hepatoma. He underwent laparoscopy-assisted left lateral sectionectomy using Cavitron Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator and Ultrasonic Shears. The patient discharged without any complications in the 8th postoperative day. The pathologic findings of nodule were consistent with the eosinophilic abscess of liver. Left lateral sectionectomy of liver can be conducted safely with assistance of laparoscopy.
Abscess ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis ; Eosinophils* ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Larva Migrans, Visceral ; Liver Abscess* ; Liver* ; Male ; Toxocariasis ; Ultrasonics

Eosinophilic synovial effusion is rarely observed in patients with inflammatory nature of synovial fluid, and the differential diagnosis includes parasitic arthritis. Toxocariasis is the one of the most common forms of helminthiasis worldwide and has been reported as a common cause of peripheral blood eosinophilia in Korea. However, joint involvement has been rarely reported in adults with toxocariasis in the English-language literature. Here, we report the first Korean case of a female presenting with acute monoarthritis with an increased number of eosinophils in the peripheral blood and synovial fluid, who was finally diagnosed with toxocariasis.
Adult ; Arthritis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils* ; Female ; Helminthiasis ; Humans ; Joints ; Korea ; Synovial Fluid ; Toxocariasis*

Retinoblastoma is a highly malignant intraocular tumor of childhood that requires accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment. The diagnosis of retinoblastoma is based on the fundus finding and noninvasive radiologic evaluation, but sometimes retinoblastoma is clinically misdiagnosed as nonneoplastic lesion such as Coats' disease, persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous, toxocariasis and old retinal detachment and sometimes vice versa. We performed fine needle aspiration biopsies in two cases, in whom retinoblastoma or Coats' disease was suspected but there was diagnostic uncertainty on fundus finding, orbit CT or MRI. The cytologic diagnosis of two cases was retinoblastoma. And after enucleation final histopathologic diagnosis correlated with the cytodiagnosis. We think that fine needle aspiration biopsy may be helpful in establishing the diagnosis in difficult cases of childhood leukocoria including retionblastoma.
Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Cytodiagnosis ; Diagnosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Orbit ; Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous ; Retinal Detachment ; Retinoblastoma* ; Toxocariasis ; Uncertainty

Systemic infections that are caused by various types of pathogenic organisms can be spread to the eyes as well as to other solid organs. Bacteria, parasites, and viruses can invade the eyes via the bloodstream. Despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of systemic infections, many patients still suffer from endogenous ocular infections; this is particularly due to an increase in the number of immunosuppressed patients such as those with human immunodeficiency virus infection, those who have had organ transplantations, and those being administered systemic chemotherapeutic and immunomodulating agents, which may increase the chance of ocular involvement. In this review, we clinically evaluated posterior segment manifestations in the eye caused by hematogenous penetration of systemic infections. We focused on the conditions that ophthalmologists encounter most often and that require cooperation with other medical specialists. Posterior segment manifestations and clinical characteristics of cytomegalovirus retinitis, endogenous endophthalmitis, toxoplasmosis, toxocariasis, and ocular syphilis are included in this brief review.
Bacteria ; Cytomegalovirus Retinitis ; Diagnosis ; Endophthalmitis ; Eye Infections ; HIV ; Humans ; Inflammation* ; Organ Transplantation ; Parasites ; Specialization ; Syphilis ; Toxocariasis ; Toxoplasmosis ; Toxoplasmosis, Ocular ; Transplants

Visceral larva migrans is a syndrome presented chronic peripheral eosinophilia, hepatomegaly with eosinophilic granuloma. Originally it results from migration of second stage larva of Toxocara species, animal ascarides, but there are many other causative parasites. It's difficult to detect causative parasite, although immunohistochemical methods like ELISA or Ouchterlony method have been introduced. If the larva were dectected, it's not easy to discriminate causative one from others because of similarities of morphology. Most cases have self-limited course. Only in severe infection, antiparasitic treatment, augmented by corticosteroid when allergic symptopms are also present, is required. Clinical presentations have varieties of spectrum, hepatomegaly with eosinophilic granuloma is most common. Some cases of pulmonary, ocular and CNS symptoms were reported. We now report a case of visceral larva migrans, presented submucosal tumor or diverticulitis in the ascending colon and went through laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. The diagnosis was made with microscopic examination of operation tissue.
Animals ; Colon, Ascending* ; Diagnosis ; Diverticulitis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophilic Granuloma ; Hepatomegaly ; Larva ; Larva Migrans, Visceral* ; Parasites ; Toxocara ; Toxocariasis

No Abstract available.
Toxocariasis/*diagnosis ; *Toxocara canis ; Lung/parasitology ; Liver/parasitology ; Korea/epidemiology ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome/epidemiology/*parasitology ; Humans ; Cookery ; Animals

Eosinophilic myocarditis is a condition resulting from various eosinophilic diseases, including helminth infection, drug hypersensitivity, systemic vasculitis or idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndromes. Clinical manifestations of eosinophilic myocarditis may vary from early necrosis to endomyocardial fibrosis. Eosinophilic myocarditis is one of the most fatal complications of hypereosinophilia. However, eosinophilic myocarditis has been rarely reported in the literature, particularly in Asia Pacific regions, reflecting the under-recognition of the disease among clinicians. Early recognition is crucial for improving clinical outcomes of eosinophilic myocarditis. Early administration of systemic corticosteroid is necessary in eosinophilic myocarditis regardless of underlying causes, as delayed treatment may result in fatal outcomes. In addition, differential diagnoses of underlying causes for eosinophilia are necessary to improve long-term outcomes.
Asia ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; Endomyocardial Fibrosis ; Eosinophilia ; Eosinophils ; Fatal Outcome ; Helminths ; Hypereosinophilic Syndrome ; Myocarditis ; Necrosis ; Systemic Vasculitis ; Toxocariasis

Toxocariasis is a helminozoonosis caused by the infection of a human host by the larva of Toxocara canis and Toxocara catis, which are common nematodes in dogs and cats, and occurs more frequently in school age children. Toxocariasis shows variable clinical manifestations including hepatomegaly, bronchial asthma, uveitis, central nervous system symptoms with peripheral eosinophilia and an increased total serum IgE level. However a hepatic abscess caused by toxocara infection in adults is rare. We experienced a case of heavy alcoholic patients with a hepatic eosinophilic abscess caused by toxocara infestation, which was confirmed by microscopic examination of liver biopsy, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test, abdominal CT and the ultrasonography findings.
Adult ; Animals ; Humans ; Liver Abscess/*diagnosis/*parasitology/ultrasonography ; Male ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Toxocara canis/*isolation & purification ; Toxocariasis/*diagnosis/parasitology/pathology

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported that the serum concentration of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) reflects the intensity of eosinophilic airway inflammation in asthmatic patients, and the ratio of serum ECP concentration to peripheral blood eosinophil counts (ECP/Eo ratio) may be useful in assessing asthma severity. Human toxocariasis, of which diagnosis relies upon specific serology, is a common. worldwide helminthozoonosis and one of the causes of blood eosinophilia. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical significance of serum ECP concentration, peripheral-blood eosinophil count and ECP/Eo ratio in relation to clinical severity, and the sero-prevalence of human toxocariasis in patients with eosinophilia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with eosinophilia were enrolled. Serum ECP concentrations by CAP system, peripheral-blood eosinophil counts, and ECP/Eo ratio were determined. Clinical severity of the disease was represented as the number of organs with eosinophilic infiltration, and we divided the study subjects in to two groups according to therapeutic response. The diagnosis of toxocariasis was confirmed by detecting serum specific IgE antibody to Toxocara excretory-secretory antigens (TES-Ag) by ELISA and IgG immunoblot analysis. RESULTS: A significant positive correlation was found between the number of organs with eosinophilic infiltration, serum ECP concentration, and peak peripheral-blood eosinophil count (p < 0.05, respectively). The number of organs with eosinophilic infiltration was significantly higher in the poor therapeutic response group compared to the good therapeutic response group (p < 0.01). Fourteen of 15 patients (93.3%) showed positive reactions in Toxocara serologic test. CONCLUSION: Toxocara infection should be considered as a major cause of eosinophilia in this country. Serum ECP, peak peripheral-blood eosinophil count and the number of organs with eosinophilic infiltration may be used as useful markers for assessment of therapeutic response in patients with eosinophilia.
Asthma ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Eosinophil Cationic Protein ; Eosinophilia* ; Eosinophils ; Humans* ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulin G ; Inflammation ; Serologic Tests ; Toxocara ; Toxocariasis*