Childhood cutaneous leishmaniasis: Experience of a Moroccan unit of dermatology.

OBJECTIVE: We undertook a monocentric retrospective analysis of childhood leishmaniasis in order to describe the epidemio-clinical profile, therapeutic characteristics and clinical outcomes of affected patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The files of all children treated for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in the Dermatology Department of Ibn Sina University Hospital over an 11-year period were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of thirteen children were included. The mean age was 10.2 years and the sex ratio (F/M) was 5.5. All patients lived or had stayed in an endemic area. The average delay of diagnosis was 11.8 months. The most frequent clinical finding consisted of ulcers (61.5%), usually located on the face (69.2%). The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by parasitologic smear in 76.9 percent of cases. The treatment used was intralesional meglumine antimoniate in twelve cases. The outcome was favorable in all cases. CONCLUSION: Our series is characterized by a female predominance and the patients presented with a single lesion. The lesions were frequently located on the face and a favorable outcome was obtained after treatment with intralesional meglumine antimoniate.

[Pseudoxanthoma elasticum and nephrocalcinosis]. / Pseudoxanthome élastique et néphrocalcinose.

INTRODUCTION: Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a hereditary disease that presents clinically as cutaneous, ocular and cardiovascular problems. The associated clinical signs are due to calcification of elastic fibres and blood vessels. The case we describe below involves a 24 year-old woman hospitalised for pseudoxanthoma elasticum and also diagnosed with asymptomatic renal nephrocalcinosis. OBSERVATION: A diagnosis of pseudoxanthoma elasticum was suspected in this patient based upon yellowish papules on the head and neckline together with angioid streaks. This diagnosis was confirmed by histological examination of the skin biopsy sample. Levels of calcium and phosphorus in blood and urine were normal, as were the cardiovascular test results. Abdominal ultrasound revealed bilateral nephrocalcinosis. DISCUSSION: This case is original in terms of the association of pseudoxanthoma elasticum with nephrocalcinosis. There are in fact increasing reports of diffuse visceral calcifications in pseudoxanthoma elasticum and the literature contains reports of association with mammary and testicular calcifications. To our knowledge, associated nephrocalcinosis has only been described in two subjects in a series of 11 PXE patients. The question is whether this association was entirely fortuitous or if it in fact constitutes a rare manifestation of the disease.

[Ten cases of Verneuil's disease]. / La maladie de Verneuil: dix cas.

INTRODUCTION: Verneuil's disease is a chronic inflammatory, suppurating and fistulizing disease. It is often misdiagnosed and taken for another pathology. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic features of 10 patients presenting with this disease, in our dermatology unit. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 10 observations of Verneuil's disease from 1994 to 2005. We studied the clinical, epidemiological, and therapeutic characteristics. RESULTS: Nine male and one female patients were included. The mean age was 35 years. The mean delay between onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 6 years. All patients presented with a severe form of the disease. The localizations were the buttocks in 4 cases, the pubis in one case, and the axilla in another case. Four patients also presented with buttock and anoperineal lesions. The medical treatment was antiseptics, antibiotic therapy, or isotretinoin. All patients were treated surgically. CONCLUSION: A suppurated and fistulized nodule on an anoperineal or axillary location must suggest this disease. Our series is characterized by the prevalence of men and the frequency of severe forms.