ABSTRACT
We report a case of actinic granuloma in a 70-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus. Several annular lesions developed in both shins and persisted for five years, and similar lesions developed later mainly in sun-exposed areas. Histopathological study from the annular plaques of the shoulder showed actinic granuloma composed of numerous giant cells with disappearance of elastic fibers. Histopatholoc finding from the shin showed actinic granuloma of several foci of necrobiosis. From this case, we observed two different patterns of actinic granuloma in the same patient.
Subject(s)
Aged , Female , Humans , Actins , Diabetes Mellitus , Elastic Tissue , Giant Cells , Granuloma , Necrobiotic Disorders , ShoulderABSTRACT
Takayasu's arteritis is a chronic, granulomatous, large-vessel arteriopathy of unknown cause. A 45-year-old women developed multiple subcutaneous nodules preceded by fever, chills, weakness and weight loss. There were several developed pyoderma gangrenosum-like ulcerations which resulted from the breakdown of subcutaneous nodules on both forearms. A skin biopsy specimen from a forearm nodule revealed characteristics of polyarteritis nodosa including necrosis of the muscular arteries of the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissues destruction of the elastic lamella, thrombus formation, and an acute and chronic inflammatory cell infiltrates. Seven years later, the diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis was suggested by the absence of the left radial pulse and confirmed by angiography.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Angiography , Arteries , Biopsy , Chills , Dermis , Diagnosis , Fever , Forearm , Necrosis , Polyarteritis Nodosa , Pyoderma , Pyoderma Gangrenosum , Skin , Subcutaneous Tissue , Takayasu Arteritis , Thrombosis , Ulcer , Weight LossABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The increased incidence of fungemia by hospital-acquired infection necessitates reevaluation of fungicidal activities of antiseptics and disinfectants. OBJECTIVE: We examined the candidacidal activity of several disinfectants including ethanol, phenol, povidone-iodine, and methanol which has been used commonly in the hospital. Candidal species tested were Candida albicans, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis and Candida guillermondii. METHODS: All candidial stains were cultured in Sabouraud-dextrose agar (SDA), and the spore numbers of them were measured by a hemocytometer. After candidial suspensions were mixed with disinfectants of different concentration for 30 second, they were washed with physiologic saline to remove disinfectants. The suspensions were adjusted into 1x10(4) cfu/ml and were cultured in SDA at 30 degrees C for 72 hours. Minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) was defined as the minimum concentration of a disinfectant to effect no growth of candidial strains. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was defined as the minimum concentration of a disinfectant to effect minimum growth of candidial strains. RESULTS: Our results showed that MFCs of candidial strains were 30~45% in Ethanol, 40~55% in methanol, 0.025~0.06% in povidon-iodine and 1~2% in phenol. All strains tested were killed by ethanol, methanol and povidone-iodine within 2 min at MIC, except phenol. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, concentrations of disinfectants generally used in the hospital are sufficient to kill candidial strains. Careful procedure should be done in mycologic studies to eliminate the fungicidal effect of disinfectants.
Subject(s)
Agar , Anti-Infective Agents, Local , Candida albicans , Candida , Coloring Agents , Disinfectants , Ethanol , Fungemia , Incidence , Methanol , Methods , Phenol , Povidone-Iodine , Spores , SuspensionsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Sporotrichosis is frequently difficult to diagnose because its morphologic appearance may closely resemble mycobacterial infection or noninfectious inflammatory reaction. Sporothrix schenckii may be difficult to identify in histological sections stained with histochemical staining such as haematoxylin and eosin, periodic-acid-Shiff(PAS) and Gomori's-methenamine-silver (GMS). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether immunohistochemical staining with a polyclonal anti-Mycobacterium bovis(BCG) antibody, which is known for its interspecies cross-reactivity between microorganisms, is the suitable screening method to detect Sporothrix schenckii of sporotrichosis in skin tissues. METHODS: Thirty sporotrichosis samples of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded skin tissues were stained with anti-BCG immunohistochemical stain (anti-BCG stain) and PAS stain. RESULTS: Thirteen cases (43%) of 30 were positive with PAS stain, and 19 cases (63%) were positive with anti-BCG stain. In 24 cases which were positive in fungal culture, 11 were positive in both stains, 1 was positive in PAS stain only, 6 cases were positive in anti-BCG stain only, and 6 were negative in both stains. In 6 cases which were negative in fungal culture, 1 was positive in both stains, 1 was positive in anti-BCG stain, and 4 were negative in both stains. CONCLUSION: Because of its cross-reactivity with fungi as well as its high sensitivity and minimal background staining, the anti-BCG stain can be the useful screening method of detection of S. schenckii in paraffin-embedded specimens of sporotrichosis.