Cytodiagnosis in dermatology: revisited

This study was performed on 63 patients representing viral dermatoses [35 patients], immunobullous diseases [20 patients] and skin cancer [eight patients]. Two cytological smears were taken from every case and 30 histologic samples were taken from representative cases. Different techniques for cytodiagnosis were described and the findings were illustrated and discussed

open non comparative study of the efficacy and tolerability of fluconazole for the treatment of pityriasis versicolor

This study aimed to assess efficacy and tolerability of fluconazole 300 mg [2 x 150 mg capsule] as a single oral dose that could be repeated after two weeks in the treatment of extensive pityriasis versicolor. The study was conducted on 64 patients with extensive pityriasis versicolor [PV]. Two fluconazole 150 mg capsules were given as a single oral dose of 300 mg in 19 patients, while 45 patients received two sequential 300 mg oral doses of fluconazole [two weeks interval]. Out of the 64 recruited patients, 60 completed the study and four were lost at the follow up. Forty-nine patients were clinically cured, seven were improved, three failed to cure and one had relapsed after the end of treatment. The mycological evaluation showed that 53 patients were mycologically cured, six experienced persistence with failure and one was relapsed at the end of the follow up visit. Three patients experienced adverse events during the study and were mild in severity and resolved spontaneously. Fluconazole as a 300 mg single oral dose that could be repeated after two weeks was effective, safe and well tolerated in the treatment of extensive PV

Herpes zoster histopathological and cytological study

Twenty cases of Herpes zoster [H.Z.] were examined for the histopathologic and cytologic changes. They were 14 males and 6 females. Punch biopsy showed various stages of typical viral vesicle formation occupying the entire width of the epidermis. The vesicle was multilocular by reticular degeneration and contained balloon cells with a large swollen or hyperchromatic nucleus or only a nuclear rest according to the stage of degeneration. Viral giant cells were present at the floor of the vesicle. Intranuclear inclusion bodies were also present.Cytodiagnosis of the vesicular fluid showed lhe various stages of viral giant cell formation, viral inclusion bodies, and marginization of the chromatin and replacement of the normal chromatin pattern and nucleolus by an amorphous basophilic mass

Direct and indirect immunofluorescent studies in cutaneous and mucosal intra-oral psoriasis

Direct immunofluorocent [D.I.F] test for psoriatic [skin and mucous membrane] lesions did not show predominance of one of the immunoglobulins [IgS] [G.M.A] or complement [C[3]] fraction over the others in each lesion. The pattern of the fluorescence was interrupted linear with many dots or diffuse in the stratum corneum; granular and patchy in the dermis and dermal papillae; and band like at the dermoepidermal junction.Using the indirect immunofluorescent [I.l.F] test antibodies [abs] of IgM class were mainly detected in the sera of psoriatic patient [79% of cases] and psoriatic cases having oral manifestation [70% of case] followed infrequency by abs of IgG [43% and 50%] and IgA [36% and 10%] classes.Immunologic tests can be used to diagnose or to confirm the diagnosis of intra-oral psoriasis

Study of cell mediated immunity in cutaneous and mucosal intra-oral psoriasis

The E-rosette test was performed as an index of the cell mediated immunological status in patients with cutaneous and oral psoriatic lesions. There were highly significant reduction in the E-rosette forming cells [E-RFCs] in the peripheral blood of psoriatic patients with or without oral manifestation in comparison with the control.The mean percentage of E-RFCs in cutanous psoriatic cases was 49.43% and in oral psoriatic case [44.6%] and in the controls [67.9%]. The disturbed cellular immunological changes may be playing a role in the pathogensis of psoriasis [Ps]

Investigation of some cases of oriental sore in Egypt

Forty-one cases of oriental sore were investigated. These included 27 males and 14 females, with ages varied between 9 months and 48 years. 14 cases were indigenous and the rest exogenous. 22 cases had single lesion, 18 on the face and 4 on the forearm. The others had multiple sores. Direct smear was positive in 29 cases only, whereas culture and I.D.T. were positive in all cases. Stibophan gave the best therapeutic results