Utility of state-level influenza disease burden and severity estimates to investigate an apparent increase in reported severe cases of influenza A(H1N1) pdm09 - Arizona, 2015-2016

The Arizona Department of Health Services identified unusually high levels of influenza activity and severe complications during the 2015-2016 influenza season leading to concerns about potential increased disease severity compared with prior seasons. We estimated state-level burden and severity to compare across three seasons using multiple data sources for community-level illness, hospitalisation and death. Severity ratios were calculated as the number of hospitalisations or deaths per community case. Community influenza-like illness rates, hospitalisation rates and mortality rates in 2015-2016 were higher than the previous two seasons. However, ratios of severe disease to community illness were similar. Arizona experienced overall increased disease burden in 2015-2016, but not increased severity compared with prior seasons. Timely estimates of state-specific burden and severity are potentially feasible and may provide important information during seemingly unusual influenza seasons or pandemic situations.

Thoracic malignant fibrous histiocytoma metastatic to the tongue and skin of the face

A 60-year-old white man was found to to have metastatic malignant fibrous histocytoma in the tongue and facial skin 15 months after diagnosis of the primary lesion in the thorax. This is believed to be only the fourth reported case of this tumor metastatic to the oral cavity and the first lingual metastasis from outside the jaws.

Condyloma acuminatum in the oral cavity: four cases and a review

The number of reported cases of condyloma acuminatum has increased rapidly in recent years. While the viral etiology of these lesions has been established, differentiation from other papular growths is often difficult. Reports of condyloma acuminatum lesions in the oral cavity are appearing more frequently, although they still are sparse. Four cases of oral condyloma are described, and the English-language literature on other such cases is reviewed. Presumably, as the incidence of this type of infection continues to increase, oral condylomata will become a commoner diagnosis. Physicians and dentists should be aware of the necessity of recognizing wart-like eruptions in and around the oral cavity.

Spindle-cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract mucosa. An immunohistologic and ultrastructural study of 18 biphasic tumors and comparison with seven monophasic spindle-cell tumors

The histogenetic origin of the spindle-cell component of spindle-cell carcinoma of the head and neck mucosa remains controversial. The spindle cells have been considered a variant growth pattern of squamous-cell carcinoma, a non-neoplastic mesenchymal reaction, and a malignant admixture of epithelial and mesenchymal neoplasm. To evaluate the spindle-cell component, we studied 25 tumors (18 biphasic and seven monophasic) by utilizing the following: an avidin-biotin complex immunoperoxidase technique with a variety of antikeratin antibodies (AE1, AE3, CAM 5.2, 35BH11, and polyclonal Dako) and a monoclonal antivimentin antibody, and an avidin-biotin alkaline phosphatase double-labeling technique to detect coexpression of keratin and vimentin. The immunohistologic staining pattern was compared with electron-microscopic studies. Eight of 18 biphasic neoplasms contained immunoreactive keratin in the spindle-cell component that was distributed focally in a minority of cells in 3 tumors and diffusely throughout five of the neoplasms. Four of seven ulcerated monophasic spindle-cell tumors devoid of histologic squamous-cell carcinoma also were keratin positive, confirming epithelial differentiation. The majority of the spindle cells in all the tumors contained vimentin intermediate filaments. In three immunoperoxidase keratin positive biphasic tumors examined with alkaline phosphatase double labeling, occasional spindle cells were found that coexpressed keratin and vimentin and were interspersed with cells expressing either intermediate filament. Electron microscopy was performed on the spindle-cell component of 13 tumors, nine biphasic and four monophasic. Of the biphasic tumors, four were immunoperoxidase keratin positive; three of these showed epithelial differentiation by electron microscopy. Five biphasic tumors were keratin negative, and three tumors had epithelial differentiation by electron microscopy. Four monophasic spindle-cell tumors were immunoperoxidase keratin positive, and one of these had epithelial features by electron microscopy. Two monophasic tumors were keratin negative and without ultrastructural evidence of epithelial features. By using a combination of immunohistochemical and electron-microscopic observations, we identified evidence for epithelial differentiation in the spindled cells in 11 of 18 biphasic tumors and four of seven monophasic spindle-cell tumors.