tissues. Graft-versus-host (GVH) disease
may occur soon after transplantation or
appear some months later. The first
sign is usually a skin rash. This may be
followed by diarrhoea, abdominal pain,
jaundice, inflammationof the eyes and
mouth, and breathlessness.
GVH disease can usually be prevented
by administration of immunosuppres-
sant drugs. If the disease develops, it
can be treated with corticosteroid drugs
and immunosuppressant drugs such as
ciclosporinIn some cases, however, it
can be difficult to control.
Gram’s stainAn iodine-based stain that
is used to differentiate between types of
bacterium.
grand malA type of epileptic seizure
(see epilepsy) in which the sufferer falls
unconscious and has generalized jerky
muscle contractions. The seizure may
last for a few minutes; the person may
have no recall of it on awakening.
granulation tissueA mass of red,
moist, granular tissue that develops on
the surface of an ulcer or open wound
during the process of healing.
granulocyte A type of white blood cell.
granulomaAn aggregation of cells of a
type associated with chronic inflamma-
tion. They usually occur as a reaction to
certain infections, such as tuberculosis,
or a foreign body, such as a suture, but
they may develop for unknown reasons
in conditions such as sarcoidosis.
A pyogenic granuloma is an excess of
granulation tissue developing at the
site of an injury to the skin or mucous
membrane. (See also granuloma annu-
lare; granuloma inguinale.)
granuloma annulareA harmless skin
condition characterized by a circular,
raised area of skin, which spreads out-
wards to form a ring. The disorder occurs
most commonly in children, usually on
the hands. The cause is unknown. No
treatment is necessary. In most cases,
the affected skin heals completely over
a period of several months or years.
granuloma inguinaleA sexually trans-
mitted infectionthat causes ulceration
of the genitals. The infection is caused
by CALYMMATOBACTERIUM GRANULOMATIS,
also known as Donovan’s bodies. Gran-
uloma inguinale is common in parts ofdays and often recur. They are some-
times accompanied by fever. Gout may
be associated with kidney stones (see
calculus, urinary tract), and affects 10
times more men than women. In men, it
occurs any time after puberty; in women
it usually occurs after the menopause.
The condition tends to run in families.
The diagnosis is confirmed by tests on
blood or fluid from the affected joint to
measure uric acid levels. Pain and in-
flammation can usually be controlled
by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
or colchicine. If these are ineffective, a
corticosteroidmay be injected into the
joint. Long-term treatment with drugs
such as allopurinolor probenecidcan
stop or reduce the frequency of attacks.graftingThe process of transplanting
healthy tissue from one part of the body
to another (autografting), from one per-
son to another (allografting), or from an
animal to a person (xenografting).
Grafting is used to repair or replace
diseased, damaged, or defective tissues
or organs. The most common operations
of this type are skin graft, bone graft,
bone marrow transplant, corneal graft,
kidney transplant, heart transplant, liver
transplant, heart–lung transplant, heart-
valve surgery, and microsurgery on
blood vessels and nerves.
With autografting, the grafted tissue is
usually assimilated well into the sur-
rounding tissue at the new site. The
general risks of tissue rejection follow-
ing other forms of grafting are
discussed in transplant surgery.
graft-versus-host diseaseA compli-
cation of a bone marrow transplantin
which immune systemcells in the trans-
planted marrow attack the recipient’s
GRAFTING GRANULOMA INGUINALE
G
GOUT
Red, swollen
joint