Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum detected with the same frequency among women with and without symptoms of urogenital tract infection.

There is mounting evidence stating that Ureaplasma urealyticum causes non-gonococcal urethritis in males, whereas Ureaplasma parvum does not seem to be of clinical significance. However, the clinical role of U. parvum and U. urealyticum in lower urogenital tract infections in females remains unclear. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of U. parvum and U. urealyticum among 145 Ureaplasma spp. culture-positive women with symptoms of lower urogenital tract infection (n = 75) and those without (n = 70), and to determine possible associations between the detection of U. parvum and U. urealyticum with selected characteristics. Endocervical, urethral, and vaginal swabs, and first voided urine were obtained. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to differentiate ureaplasmas. No significant association between the detection of U. parvum or U. urealyticum and symptom status was found. Significantly more women aged 25 years and younger were infected with U. urealyticum (23.4 %) compared to those aged above 25 years (9.2 %) [odds ratio (OR) 3.0 (1.1; 8.1); p = 0.03] and significantly less women aged 25 years and younger (83.5 %) were infected with U. parvum compared to those aged above 25 years (95.5 %) [OR 0.2 (0.1; 0.9); p = 0.03]. The detection of Chlamydia trachomatis was significantly associated to both U. parvum and U. urealyticum (p = 0.021), and to U. parvum alone with borderline significance (p = 0.063). Although neither U. parvum nor U. urealyticum seem to cause symptoms in females, their role in the female urogenital tract remains unknown, taking into account their ubiquity, possible augmentation of the urogenital microenvironment, and ascending capability to the sterile upper reproductive tract.

Papulonodular secondary syphilis in a 52-year-old non-HIV heterosexual patient.

There has been a recent increase in the incidence of syphilis in Slovenia, similar to other countries. Secondary syphilis can manifest with various clinical and histopathological presentations. We report the case of a 52-year-old patient that presented with nonpruritic nodular lesions on the face, trunk, and insteps that clinically mimicked lymphoma or sarcoidosis. Histopathological findings showed granulomatous inflammation. The serology revealed positive non-treponemal and treponemal tests. Treatment with benzathine penicillin G was successful.

Erythropoietic protoporphyria patients in Slovenia.

BACKGROUND: There are only scarce epidemiological data on the prevalence of erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) in a given population. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of EPP within the Slovenian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patients were selected by routine examination of photosensitive patients and by studying hospital records. A quantitative spectrophotometric method was used to assess protoporphyrin, with values larger than 530 nm/l considered elevated. RESULTS: 32 EPP patients were detected, which allows us to estimate the prevalence of EPP in Slovenia at 1.75 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Ulcus vulvae acutum.

A 29-year-old female presented with a history of sudden onset of genital ulcers with fever and malaise. The clinical picture and course of the disease corresponded to the diagnosis of acute vulvar ulcer. No relevant etiologic factors could be ascertained. Treatment with doxycycline and systemic corticosteroids led to the resolution of the ulcerations after three weeks. Although the disease is rare, it is important to include it in the differential diagnosis of genital ulcers.

Zosteriform lichen planus-like eruption.

Lichen planus (LP) is a relatively common papulosquamous skin disease of unknown etiology, it is believed to be a T-cell mediated disorder. In addition to the cutaneous eruptions it may also affect mucous membranes, nails or cause scarring alopecia. Lichen planus appears in various clinical variants which are categorized according to the morphology and configuration of lesions. We present a 34-year-old man who developed a papular eruption localized unilaterally on the right side of the body in a linear-zosteriform pattern within the L5-S1 nerve segments. The skin lesions clinically and histologically mimicked LP. Topical treatment with betamethason ointment for one month led to remarkable improvement, but a zosteriform hiperpigmentation persisted. According to the clinical findings in our patient and a review of the literature, we believe that lichenoidzosteriform eruption is a variant of lichen planus or a herpes zoster infection.

Hypereosinophilic dermatitis-like erythema annulare centrifugum in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

A 65-year-old male presented with a history of disseminated erythema annulare centrifugum lesions and a high peripheral blood eosinophilia (55%). Histopathology of a lesion revealed a superficial and deep perivascular and interstitial inflammatory eosinophilic infiltrate. The bone marrow aspirate showed a heavy eosinophilic infiltrate. There was no evidence of any other systemic involvement except for bone marrow eosinophilia. The patient had a 6-year history of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The disease is in complete remission for the last 3 years. The clinical and histopathological findings in the reported patient correspond to the diagnosis of hypereosinophilic dermatitis. Topical treatment with corticosteroid creams was successful. The cutaneous lesions gradually resolved in 8 weeks, within 7 months the peripheral blood eosinophilia slowly declined from 55% to 7%.

Necrolytic migratory erythema associated with hyperglucagonemia and neuroendocrine hepatic tumors.

We present a 61-year-old man with a 2-year history of persistent disseminated, psoriasiform annular pruritic lesions, acrodermatitis, weight loss, anemia and diabetes. Histopathology of the affected skin showed nonspecific subacute psoriasiform dermatitis. The computed tomographic scan of the abdomen revealed multiple hepatic tumors. Histopathological examination of ultrasound-guided needle biopsy from a hepatic lesion demonstrated a neuroendocrine tumor. Somatostatin-receptor scintigraphy with radio-labelled octreotide confirmed the likelihood of the neuroendocrine nature of the hepatic tumors and excluded the presence of other such lesions throughout the rest of the body, including the pancreas. The serum glucagon level was markedly increased. The diagnosis of necrolytic migratory erythema associated with hyperglucagonemia and neuroendocrine hepatic tumors was made and therapy with the long-acting somatostatin analogue octreotide was started. The skin changes resolved after the initiation of therapy, but no improvement of other symptoms was observed. Having reached the final stage of the disease, which was further complicated by congestive heart failure, the patient died one year later. As no autopsy was performed, we were unable to establish whether the hepatic tumors represented a metastatic process of previously undetected pancreatic glucagonoma or if they were extra-pancreatic glucagon-secreting tumors. The correct diagnosis of necrolytic migratory erythema is important, since it might be the clue for early detection of glucagonoma or of extra-pancreatic glucagon-secreting tumors.