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A female premature infant with dwarfism, peculiar facial features, cleft palate and bone anomalies including bowing of the lower extremities with pretibial skin dimpling, the so called "campomelic syndrome" is presented. Other symptoms were hypotonia and respiratory distress. The radiological and autopsy findings in this child are described. The lack of known teratogenic factors during the pregnancy and the available data about the familial occurance of this malformation syndrome suggest the possibility of an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance in this patient. This is the first case of campomelic syndrome reported from Iran.

352 persons from Iran and 469 persons from West-Germany were tested for EBV-antibodies using an immunofluorescence assay. In Iran the virus infection starts early in infancy and attains higher antibody values as compared with age related German population. In the age group of 1-5 years 70% of the Iranians are antibody positive in contrast to only 56% of the Germans in the same age group. The high prevalence of EBV-antibodies is due to unfavourable hygienic facilities as well as to regional overpopulation.

Six children, 2 1/2 to 6 years old, with homozygous beta-thalassemia underwent partial splenectomy as indicated by splenomegaly and high blood transfusion requirement. A marked reduction of blood requirement has been achieved in 2 children with an annual blood transfusion volume up to 150 ml per kg body weight. The other four children required total splenectomy as blood requirement remained high and significant splenomegaly developed within few weeks after the partial splenectomy. The immunological function of the spleen residue remains still controversial and needs further evaluation. Partial splenectomy might be indicated therefore only in selected children with homozygous beta-thalassemia.