Prevalence of superficial mycoses in the Aosta Valley region of Italy from 1984 to 1989.

This report represents the results of the culture tests for fungi carried out in the Aosta Valley region of Italy from 1984 to 1989. The pathological material consisted of cutaneous scales, hair and nails. It was possible to identify 91.8% of the isolates: out of these, 36.1% were dermatophytes, 21% were Aspergillus spp, 15.6% Deuteromycetes, 15% yeasts and 4.1% members of the family Mucoraceae. The resulting data indicate that Microsporum canis was the most wide-spread species (73.7%) among the isolated dermatophytes and keratinophilic fungi (Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis): 87.5% were isolated from hair and 65.9% from the glabrous skin. The high prevalence of M. canis as the cause of dermatomycoses is discussed. Lastly the use made of the Regional Hospital's Mycology Department by health workers is discussed.

[Amiodarone-induced pigmentation. A histological, ultrastructural study and review of the literature]. / Pigmentazione da amiodarone. Studio istologico, ultrastrutturale e revisione della letteratura.

Amiodarone is an iodinated cardiac antiarrhythmic drug that causes a slate- gray discoloration of sun-exposed skin. Histopathologically, biopsy specimens of two patients affected by amiodarone pigmentations reveal yellow-brown granules in the reticular dermis, both in the cytoplasm of macrophages and between the collagen bundles. The histochemical stainings of the granules suggest that a lipofuscin pigment rather than melanin is present in the granules. Electron microscopy displays distinctive intracytoplasmic inclusions in many dermal cell types. Six morphologic types can be seen: 1) electron-lucent, membrane bound granules, 2) granules with electron dense nucleus, 3) lamellar "myelin-like" granules, 4) granules with a combination of electron-dense and electron-lucent areas, 5) electron-dense membrane-bound granules, 6) electron-dense no-membrane granules. The different dimensions, structure and shape are related to the structural and aggregational phases of the granules. In particular their pathogenesis may be related to the action of the drug on cell membranes with thesaurismosis, local metabolic damage, accumulation of the drug in the lysosomes and acceleration of the physiological ageing cell process.

[Dermatitis caused by Cheyletiella. Description of 8 cases and review of the literature]. / Dermatite da Cheyletiella. Descrizione di otto casi e revisione della letteratura.

The Authors report eight cases of Cheyletiella dermatitis, parasite mite of domestic animals but also known as pathogenic for man. This animal parasitosis mentioned many times in other countries, seems to be very diffused in Italy, too. Nevertheless, the literature tells that normally, in our country, Cheyletiella dermatitis is a pathology completely underestimated and almost unknown. The Authors, because of the aspecificity of the clinical and histopathological data, lay special stress on the differential diagnosis problems concerning this infestation.

[Hyperpigmentation of the Laugier-Hunziker-syndrome type appearing during antineoplastic polychemotherapy]. / Iperpigmentazione a tipo "sindrome di Laugier-Hunziker" insorta in corso di polichemioterapia antineoplastica.

The Authors report a case of multiple brown slate macules localized on the lips and on the oral mucosa, occurred to a 66 year-old woman during cancer polychemotherapy with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum and Cyclophosphamide due to an ovary's serous cystadenocarcinoma with peritoneal metastasis. The histological test taken on a lip's lesion, fully excised, points out main focal hyperpigmentation of basal epidermal layer and numerous melanophages in the papillary dermis. The Authors, after a comparison among the information obtained from the literature, exclude any possible secondary reaction due to chemotherapy or any paraneoplastic syndrome. What they emphasize is the great similarity between the clinical and histological pictures noticed in this case and the ones described in the Laugier-Hunziker's syndrome. The particular association observed in this case is noteworthy but, nowadays following the existing knowledges, no relation of cause and effect between polychemotherapy, cancer and Laugier-Hunziker's disease can be advanced.

Subcorneal pustular dermatosis and IgA myeloma.

The authors describe a new case of subcorneal pustular dermatosis associated with IgA myeloma. The significance of this association is unknown, but it seems to be more than a coincidence. The case described is particular, because the interval between skin eruption and first symptoms of myeloma is very long (27 years), and palms and soles are involved.