ABSTRACT
A 46-year-old male presented with skin lesion on the tip of penis, occurring a month ago. Erythematous macules and grouped vesicles on the glans penis and upper side of prepuce area were noticed. In addition, scales were noticed on the tip of glans penis. The lesion was first diagnosed as herpes genitalis based on the clinical manifestation, but had failed to improve with systemic and topical antiviral and topical antibiotics. KOH examinations were performed on his upper glans penis, and we detected pseudo hyphae and spores. Fungal culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) study were revealed as Candida albicans. He was successfully treated with topical isoconazole cream twice a day. Candida balanitis refers to candida infections of glans penis. Infectious balanitis presented various clinical presentations, it is not easy to diagnose with clinical presentation only. Therefore, it is essential to include other examination such as KOH examination, microorganism exam, and/or biopsy in the differential diagnosis when cutaneous lesions are noticed in patients. Herein, we present a candida balanitis with atypical features that clinically mimicked herpes genitalis.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Anti-Bacterial Agents , Balanitis , Biopsy , Candida albicans , Candida , Diagnosis, Differential , Herpes Genitalis , Hyphae , Penis , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Skin , Spores , Weights and MeasuresABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Fungi are eukaryotic microorganisms including yeast and molds. Many studies have focused on modifying bacterial growth, but few on fungal growth. Microcurrent electricity may stimulate fungal growth. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate effects of microcurrent electric stimulation on Trichophyton rubrum growth. METHODS: Standard-sized inoculums of T. rubrum derived from a spore suspension were applied to potato dextrose cornmeal agar (PDACC) plates, gently withdrawn with a sterile pipette, and were applied to twelve PDACC plates with a sterile spreader. Twelve Petri dishes were divided into four groups. The given amperage of electric current was 500 nA, 2 µA, and 4 µA in groups A, B, and C, respectively. No electric current was given in group D. RESULTS: In the first 48 hours, colonies only appeared in groups A and B (500 nA and 2 µA exposure). Colonies in group A (500 nA) were denser. Group C (4 µA) plates showed a barely visible film of fungus after 96 hours of incubation. Fungal growth became visible after 144 hours in the control group. CONCLUSION: Lower intensities of electric current caused faster fungal growth within the amperage range used in this study. Based on these results, further studies with a larger sample size, various fungal species, and various intensities of electric stimulation should be conducted.
Subject(s)
Agar , Electric Stimulation , Electricity , Fungi , Glucose , Sample Size , Solanum tuberosum , Spores , Trichophyton , YeastsABSTRACT
Dermatophytosis in children is relatively infrequent than adults. Dermatophytosis in children can be different clinically and mycologically from those in adults in that children experience rapid physical changes and they have different skin features and environments from those of adults. Microsoprum (M.) canis is one of the zoophilic dermatophytes responsible for 3~30% of tinea corporis and tinea capitis in children. It is most likely transmitted by contact with infected animals such as cats and dogs. Clinical manifestations were single or multiple annular shaped, erythematous scaly patches and sometimes hard to differentiate with other skin diseases. A 6-year-old girl presented with multiple, pruritic, erythematous scaly patches on cheek and buttock. The lesion started 3 weeks before visiting our skin clinic. There was no personal or family history of any skin disease but she had a history of contacting with a dog. A fungal culture from tissue of the lesions grown on potato dextrose agar-corn meal-tween 80 showed typical Microsporum canis. The skin lesions were clinically improved after topical treatment for 4 weeks.
Subject(s)
Adult , Animals , Cats , Child , Dogs , Female , Humans , Infant , Arthrodermataceae , Buttocks , Cheek , Glucose , Microsporum , Skin , Skin Diseases , Solanum tuberosum , Tinea Capitis , TineaABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Analyzing the medical care utilization behavior and conception of disease treatment of dermatologic patients is important. However, the Korean literature has few studies reporting this information. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate medical care utilization behavior and conception of disease treatment of dermatologic patients. METHODS: A written questionnaire concerning personal information, treatment behavior, treatment conception, patient satisfaction, and patient compliance was completed by 442 outpatients who visited the department of dermatology at a university hospital. RESULTS: According to the patients, satisfactory outpatient consultation time for dermatology was 14.2 minutes for the first-visit consultation, and 9.92 minutes for the second-visit consultation. Most (76.0%) patients initially sought the dermatologic clinics for dermatoses, but only 39.8% of patients knew how to distinguish dermatologists from other doctors. Among the participants, 26.7% of patients directly visited a tertiary medical center without visiting primary clinics. Before visiting the hospital, 52.3% of patients sought disease information, and 28.3% of patients obtained information about doctors. Some respondents (39.7%) had a negative attitude about dermatologic medicine because of lay referral. Men were highly satisfied with explanations of drugs and had more positivity towards drugs, but showed low compliance to applying topical medication. Patients of older age, lower education level, and lower economic status had lower satisfaction with explanations given during the examination. CONCLUSION: We advise dermatologists to play a major role in enlightening patients and constructing proper information delivery systems via diversified routes to prevent unreasonable medical care utilization behavior and groundless negative conceptions about dermatologic treatment.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Compliance , Surveys and Questionnaires , Dermatology , Education , Fertilization , Outpatients , Patient Compliance , Patient Satisfaction , Referral and Consultation , Skin Diseases , SkinABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To review the patterns of the dermatologic consultations of psychiatric adolescent inpatient and to explore the relationship between the dermatologic disorders and psychiatric disorders. METHODS: We retrospectively studied the data from 22 cases referred by psychiatric adolescent for a dermatologic consultation over 10 years in Daegu Catholic University Medical Center and compared with the data from 108 cases referred by the other department adolescent patients. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 15.9. The male to female ratio was 1:1.44. The most common psychiatric and dermatologic disorder was major depressive disorder and acne, respectively. The most frequent reason for consultation was to ask for dermatologic disease or condition(54.5%) followed by to perform cosmetic procedure of patients need(40.9%) and to perform dermatologic test(4.6%). CONCLUSIONS: More than just a cosmetic disfigurement, dermatologic disorders are associated with a variety of psychopathologic problems that can affect the patient. Increased understanding of biopsychosocial approaches and liaison among psychiatrists and dermatologists could be beneficial.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , Academic Medical Centers , Acne Vulgaris , Depressive Disorder, Major , Inpatients , Psychiatry , Referral and Consultation , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
Phaeohyphomycosis is an infection of humans and other animals caused by a number of phaeoid fungi. It is characterized by the development of dark-colored hyphae and other types of fungal elements in invaded tissues. Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala species is an unusual infection, but it has been reported with increasing frequency as laboratory methods for diagnosis have improved. A 68-year-old woman presented with yellowish round crusted plaque which is similar to actinic keratosis or keratoacanthoma on her right cheek. Histopathologic examination showed mononuclear cell infiltrate and dark-brown hyphae. The nucleotide sequence of internal transcribed spacer-2 was identical to that of Exophiala species. We report a case of phaeohyphomycosis mimicking skin cancer.
Subject(s)
Aged , Animals , Female , Humans , Base Sequence , Cheek , Diagnosis , Exophiala , Fungi , Hyphae , Keratoacanthoma , Keratosis, Actinic , Phaeohyphomycosis , Skin NeoplasmsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Fungal culture is a conventional method for diagnosing fungal infections and is important for determining etiologic agents of the fungal infections. OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence and validity of fungus culture in various clinical departments. METHODS: A retrospective study of 4373 fungal culture cases at Daegu Catholic University Medical Center from January 2010 to December 2014 was made to investigate the prevalence of fungus culture depending on age, clinical departments, specimens and to evaluate the positive rate along with the distribution factor. RESULTS: The number of fungal culture increased with age. Fungal culture was more commonly performed in departments such as pulmonology (26.7%), ophthalmology (11.7%), dermatology (8.6%), emergency medicine (7.4%), neurology (7.3%). Among the cultured specimens, 43.6% were respiratory specimens, followed by CSF (17.2%), ophthalmic specimens (13.2%), skin (8.7%), and abscess (4.0%). Of the 4,373 specimens cultured, 222 (5.1%) were positive. The most commonly identified fungus was Trichophyton. Fungal culture was routinely performed with bronchoscopy and lumbar puncture. Prophylactic fungal evaluation was carried out for patients who had liver transplantation. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that fungal culture has been excessively conducted, even to a level where some departments take the test on their regular routine basis. The unfettered use of this low-yield diagnostic tool can give a false sense accomplishment and is often cost-ineffective and difficult in altering subsequent diagnostic or therapeutic plans. Clinicians should appropriately assess medical indications of fungal culture counting in the risk of infection, mortality, and cost as well.