Skin diseases ranging from infective dermatitis to cutaneous lymphoma have been associated with human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV) type I. A generalized exfoliative papillated dermatopathy occurred in a rabbit 20 months into a course of chronic HTLV-I infection. Biopsies revealed epidermotropic T cell infiltrates, including Sezary-like cells, that resulted in a pattern mimicking cutaneous T cell lymphoma. HTLV-I was isolated from affected skin, and virus expression was detected in cutaneous cultures. Sezary-like cells also occurred in circulation. Interleukin-2-independent lymphocyte cultures, established from blood exhibiting elevated CD8 T cell levels and CD25 expression, had polyclonal integration of provirus. The findings are similar to those in evolving adult T cell leukemia lymphoma and may represent a prelymphomatous change. The cutaneous lymphoproliferative lesion resulted from HTLV-I infection and further establishes the New Zealand White rabbit inoculated with the RH/K34 cell line as a suitable model for investigation of HTLV-I pathogenesis.

Forty one cases of malaria in children less than 15 years of age were identified from the records of Edinburgh hospitals between 1961 and 1982. Annually children constitute 10 to 20 per cent of all cases of malaria in Scotland and since 1971 at least one case has been admitted to an Edinburgh paediatric unit every year. Non-immune children visiting relatives in the Indian sub-continent are the largest group at risk. Prophylaxis was not usually taken by the patients visiting Asia and the cases from Africa had not taken prophylaxis for the recommended month after departure. Nine families were identified in whom more than one member had malaria and screening of the parents and siblings of all cases is recommended.

Diminished tissue injury and shortened clinical recovery are benefits of using an endoscopic approach for patients needing operative procedure. In the course of developing an experimental model requiring procurement of topographically precise lung biopsy specimens, we sought to apply thoracoscopy as a research alternative to thoracotomy. In addition, we investigated the influence of thoracoscopy on postprocedure recovery practices using rabbits divided into four treatment groups. Rabbit groups 1 and 2 underwent thoracoscopy and lung biopsy while maintained by one-lung anesthesia. Additionally, group 2 had ketoprofen and bupivacaine HCl analgesics injected for treatment during postprocedure recovery. These two groups were compared to control rabbits in groups 3 and 4, which underwent inhalant anesthesia without thoracoscopy. Control group 3 also received the injection analgesic combination. During recovery, rabbit behavior was systematically assessed for evidence of pain. No behavior considered indicative of pain needing intervention was observed regardless of treatment group. Limited changes in plasma corticosterone, catecholamines, and prostaglandin E2 levels measured during recovery were difficult to associate with any treatment. Unexpectedly, significantly different mean corticosterone and catecholamines levels were detected in rabbits given the injection analgesic combination in the absence of thoracoscopic procedure, as compared to other treatment groups. The results highlight the importance of awareness that analgesic drug administration has the potential to alter homeostasis and affect interpretation of some study findings by its own guise. Correlation of the mean pain study results with plasma biochemical data supports preferential use of thoracoscopy as a refinement for limiting postprocedural pain in research models.