An unusual outbreak of hookworm disease in North India

An unusual outbreak of hookworm disease occurred after a game of "kabaddi" (a local game which results in much body contact with the ground) in 27 young males from one village. It was characterized by an immediate incapacitating dermatitis, followed by severe pulmonary symptoms. Progressive weakness, abdominal pain, weight loss and anemia developed within a few months. Ancylostoma duodenale was found in all except four patients who had received antihelminthic treatment. Specific treatment for hookworm resulted in complete clinical recovery. Features of the outbreak were: 1) the hitherto unrecorded mode of infection; 2) severe dermatitis; 3) pulmonary symptoms lasting more than 3 mo; 4) abdominal symptoms suggestive of subacute obstruction starting 4-6 mo after exposure; and 5) severe disability with weight loss for a period of 1 yr until specific treatment was administered.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) activity in pancreatic juice of patients with pancreatic carcinoma and pancreatitis

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) activity was assayed in plasma and in pure pancreatic juice from eight patients with carcinoma of the pancreas, 28 patients with pancreatitis, and 13 controls with no demonstrable pancreatic disease. Juice specimens were obtained via direct transduodenal cannulation of the pancreatic duct. The mean pancreatic juice CEA activities in controls, pancreatitis, and pancreatic carcinoma were 8.1 ng/ml, 18.6 ng/ml, and 309 ng/ml, respectively. Pancreatic juice CEA activity in patients with cancer of that organ was significantly higher than in those with pancreatitis or in controls. None of the 32 subjects with both pancreatic juice CEA activity less than 30 ng/ml and plasma CEA less than 2.5 ng/ml had pancreatic cancer. Three of the four patients with CEA elevations in both fluids above these levels harbored this malignancy. These findings suggest that combined measurement of CEA activity in plasma and pancreatic juice may help in diagnosing pancreatic disease.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) activity in pancreatic juice of patients with pancreatic carcinoma and pancreatitis

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) activity was assayed in plasma and in pure pancreatic juice from eight patients with carcinoma of the pancreas, 28 patients with pancreatitis, and 13 controls with no demonstrable pancreatic disease. Juice specimens were obtained via direct transduodenal cannulation of the pancreatic duct. The mean pancreatic juice CEA activities in controls, pancreatitis, and pancreatic carcinoma were 8.1 ng/ml, 18.6 ng/ml, and 309 ng/ml, respectively. Pancreatic juice CEA activity in patients with cancer of that organ was significantly higher than in those with pancreatitis or in controls. None of the 32 subjects with both pancreatic juice CEA activity less than 30 ng/ml and plasma CEA less than 2.5 ng/ml had pancreatic cancer. Three of the four patients with CEA elevations in both fluids above these levels harbored this malignancy. These findings suggest that combined measurement of CEA activity in plasma and pancreatic juice may help in diagnosing pancreatic disease.

Novel anaerobic cellulolytic bacterium

A morphologically novel bacterium which ferments cellulose and produces butyric acid was isolated from a bovine rumen. It grows in long twisted chains that often form a double-helical pattern.