Etiology of toe-web disease in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates: bacteriological and mycological studies

We examined and sampled 45 patients with toe-web intertrigo for bacteriological and mycological studies. Prominent isolated pathogens were the genus Candida [57.7%], genus Aspergillus [28.8%], Pseudomonas aeruginosa [26.7%] and coliforms [24.4%]. Dermatophytes scored 4.4% [Trichophyton rubrum]. There were 43 patents [95.5%] who presented with marked hyperkeratosis and maceration of the toe-webs involved. The tradition of the Emirati population of sitting cross-legged may, over time, induce in the toe-webs of overweight individuals a macerated pressure-reaction hyperkeratosis that is colonized by environmental germs. T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes are uncommon in the Al-Ain environment and this may explain the rarity of dermatophytes in toe-web intertrigo in our study

Disease severity associated with cystic fibrosis mutations deltaF508 and S549R[T-G]

We compared the clinical severity associated with the two cystic fibrosis [CF] mutations S549R[T[R]G] and deltaF508. Clinical and biochemical variables of CF were compared in two age- and sex-matched groups of CF children in the United Arab Emirates [UAE]. The clinical severity of mutations S549R[T[R]G] and delta F508 showed comparable patterns, with very low Shwachman scores and high sweat chloride levels. We conclude that patients homozygous for the CF mutations deltaF508 and S549R[T[R]G] have a severe clinical presentation and illness and are indistinguishable on clinical grounds

Cystic fiprosis in the united arab emirates: current research progress

The recent research findings regarding cystic fibrosis in the Emirates is reviewed. Stress is laid on the severity of the disease, its early presentation and the associated CF genetic mutations. Practitioners are encouraged to think of the disease in appropriate clinical situations and carry out genetic testing