Gentleman with the Purple Urine / 가정의학회지

A 50-year-old man was found to have purple discoloration of the urine. He was on long-term urinary catheterization. He was asymptomatic, and urinalysis did not suggest a urinary tract infection. Purple urine bag syndrome resolved with a change of the urinary catheter and bag. He was prescribed regular laxatives and passed stools regularly.

Management of scabies

Scabies is a common infestation worldwide, affecting persons of any age and socioeconomic status. In Singapore, it is more common in institutions rather than in homes. The two variants are classic scabies and crusted scabies, with the latter having a significantly higher mite burden. Early identification, isolation of index patients and prophylactic treatment of contacts are essential in dealing with the outbreak. Locally, most primary care practitioners make the diagnosis based on visual inspection and clinical examination. A skin scrape is done to confirm the diagnosis, especially in atypical presentations. Scabietic mites, eggs or faeces can be seen on microscopy. The usual treatment for adult scabies in Singapore is the use of topical malathion or permethrin. A combination of topical permethrin and oral ivermectin is used for crusted scabies.