The diagnostics and treatment of tropical diseasesStitt, E. R. (Edward Rhodes)
Science
The diagnostics and treatment of tropical diseases
Stitt, E. R. (Edward Rhodes)
Tropical medicine
=Pathology.=—At autopsy there is noted marked emaciation with
greatly enlarged spleen and liver, dropsical effusions and ulceration
of the large intestine. The spleen is often enormously enlarged,
rather firm but quite friable. The liver may at times show cirrhosis
but the usual change is a distention of the endothelial cells of the
intralobular capillaries with great numbers of parasites, as many as
100 or more parasites being at times found in a single cell. Not only
do the endothelial cells of the liver contain parasites but those of
the spleen, particularly the cells lining the venous sinuses as well
as those of the pulp cords, the lymphatic glands and bone marrow.
The parasites are present in the intestinal ulcerations of the
terminal stages. Less frequently they are found in kidneys, adrenals,
testicles, pancreas and lungs. Rarely, parasites may not be found
at the autopsy of advanced cases. It is possible that the finding
of coccus-like bodies in the cells of such cases may represent
degenerated leishman bodies. The mesenteric and prevertebral lymph
glands are swollen. The bone marrow is red.
When the phagocytic endothelial cells rupture the parasites
are taken up by other cells and if by large mononuclear or
polymorphonuclear cells may appear in the peripheral circulation.
In possibly 80% of cases the parasites may be found after prolonged
search in smears of peripheral blood. The leucopenia and large
mononuclear increase are the blood features.
SYMPTOMATOLOGY
_Indian kala-azar._—As with all diseases tending to a chronic course
it is difficult to be sure of the length of the period of incubation
of kala-azar and various authorities have given it as from two to
three weeks to several months. Manson states that one of his cases
developed the initial fever of the disease ten days after arriving in
the endemic area. As a rule the period of onset is rather indefinite.
There may be a history of daily rigors, so that malaria is suspected,
but it is found that the fever does not respond to quinine. The fever
is usually of a low remittent type, rarely a low continued fever, in
which the temperature does not exceed 101°F. At times however in the
early stage the remittent fever is of a high type, the temperature
reaching 104°F.
[Illustration: FIG. 54.—Fever chart of a case of kala-azar reported
by Bassett-Smith. This chart shows how easily one might confuse the
temperature curve of this disease with that of Malta fever.]
Rogers attaches particular importance to the fact that four-hour
charts will show a double or even triple rise of fever in the
twenty-four hours instead of the single one in typhoid fever.
The patients also show a striking absence of typhoid malaise and
apathy often stating that they feel well when the temperature may
approximate 104°F.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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