Microbial contamination of staffs hand while going out of hospital

Cross-transmission of microorganisms by the hands of health care workers is considered as a main transmission route of nosocomial infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the microbial contamination of health-care worker s hands while going out of hospital. Wearing the sterile glove with liquid culture, we obtained 100 Samples from the staffs hands of three departments [clerical department, emergency ward and central laboratory] of Emam Reza hospital. After that, the samples were cultured. Of all personnel, 40% have the habit of washing their hands. Of these, 95 percent wash their hands with water and soap, and 5 percent with alcohol rubs. Of 100 cultured samples, 90 have microorganisms including non-pathogen gram-positive Bacillus [29%], coagulase-positive staphylococcus [39%], coagulase-negative staphylococcus [47%], Enterococci [3%], Micrococcus [25%] and Candida [3%]. Contamination in those who had not washed their hands is 62.6% and in those who washed is 37.7% [P=0.04]. Hands of health-care workers become progressively contaminated by the potential pathogens during daily activities. To reduce the rate of contamination, it is helpful if we ask staff to wash their hands while going out of hospital

Markel cell carcinoma on mustard Gas scar: a case report

Merkel cell carcinoma [MCC] is a rare primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin in elderly individuals, on sun exposed areas of the body, with the head and neck being the most common sites. Excessive ultraviolet exposure may play an etiologic role in the development of it. Exposure to mustard gas can cause skin reactions and increase risk of skin neoplasms and probably MCC. The Aim of this study was to report this interesting case and review the published literature on MCC. In this article a 60 year old man with a history of exposure to chemical warfare sulphur Mustard gas in Iraq-Iran conflict and development of a hemorrhagic nodular mass with a duration of 3 months on his scalp, that based on histology, immunohistochemical staining and was diagnosed as MCC is presented. This was the first reported case of Merkel cell carcinoma in Iran exposed to sulphur Mustard gas. Sulphur Mustard gas can be an etiologic factor for this tumour

[ evaluation of Hirsutism at Khatam-Alanbia hospital]

Hirsutism is a common problem with the presence of terminal [coarse] hair in female, in a male-like pattern, that has different etiologic factors. This project was carried out to determine the etiologic factors of hirsutism with clinical and para clinical studies. This descriptive cross sectional study was performed at Khatam -Alanbia Hospital in Zahedan, Iran, from August 2001 to September 2003. Clinical and para clinical findings of 180 hirsute women, referred to Dermatology Clinic were evaluated. Paraclinical tests included serum testostrone, dihydroepandrostendion sulfate, thyroid stimulating hormone, follicle stimulatig hormone, luteinzing hormone, prolactin, 17-OH progesterone, and ultrasonography. Levels of one or more androgens elevated in 70 patients [39%]. Poly cystic ovary syndrome was diagnosed in 96 patients [53/3%]. A group of 80 patients [44/4%] with regular menstrual cycles and normal laboratory and sonographic findings had idiopathic hirsutism. Of patients 28, [29/2%] with poly cystic ovaries had regular menstruation. Late onset of adrenal hyper plasia, due to partial 21- Hydroxylase deficiency, was diagnosed in 4 patients [2/2%]. There are various causes of excessive hair in women. The present study's results like other studies indicated that poly cystic ovary syndrome is the most common cause and a screening work-up should be recomended on all patients with hirsutism, even women with regular menstrual cycles

[Psoriasis and infestation with Malassezia]

Psoriasis is a chronic proliferative condition of the skin. Its accurate pathogenesis has not been known yet but interactions between genes and environmental factors have been implicated in its initiation. Although several reports have associated this lipophilic yeast with development of skin lesions in Psoriasis, the definite role of this lipophilic yeast in psoriasis is still undetermined. Our aim was to investigate the correlation between Malassezia and psoriasis. In this six-month's case-control study, a sample was obtained from cutaneous lesions of 50 psoriatic patients and 50 healthy volunteers as control group for evaluation of Malassezia infestation. Data were collected by use of questionnaires and analysed by SPSS software and using statistical tests of X[2] and Mann-whitney. There is no difference between Malassezia infestation in scalp lesions of psoriatic and healthy persons [P=0.86]. Malassezia infestation in psoriatic patients with scalp involvement was more than those without scalp involvement, but this relationship was not statistically significiant [P=0.069]. There is an inverse significant relationship between scalp infestation with Malassezia and chronicity of psoriasis [P=0.04]. Infestation with Malassezia in body skin of psoriatic patients was less than normal persons [P< 0.000]. It seems that Malassezia has an initiating role in inducing immune mechanism involved in pathogenesis of scalp psoriasis by Malassezia, but with chronicity and formation of dry and hyperkeratotic plaques, the environment will be inappropriate for Malassezia, so Malassezia infestation decreases with chronicity of disease

[Comparing the prevalence of mast cells out the stroma of basal cell carcinoma and control group]

Basal cell carcinoma is the most frequently observed neoplasm of human skin. Many genetic and environmental factors contribute to pathogenesis of skin. It is shown that mast cell-derived histamine is an important mediator of systemic immunomodulation caused by UVB. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of dermal mast cells in BCC patients and control subjects with not inflammatory lesions in sunlight exposure site. Biopsy samples from sun-exposed skin were obtained from 40 BCC patients and 10 control subjects. Histological sections were prepared using H and E and Giemsa stains. Mast cells were counted in the whole specimen and mean number of mast cells per high power field [x40] was determined. We found a significant increase in the number of peritumoral mast cells comparing those in control group. [p< 0.001, student t-test] No significant association was found between the frequency of mast cells and age or gender. The association between high dermal mast cell prevalence and BCC development support for the concept that mast cells may be important to UVB-induced systemic immunosuppression in human. The results can be used as the baseline for future studies and development of new methods for medical treatment leading to prevention, suppressing the development and invasion, or eventually elimination of the tumor