Persistent erythematous plaque after minor trauma in an immunocompromised woman.

Scedosporium apiospermum is a ubiquitous soil fungus with a worldwide distribution. It can cause a wide range of clinical disease, from cutaneous and subcutaneous infections, to pneumonia, brain abscess, and life threatening systemic illness. The diagnosis of cutaneous disease is with biopsy and culture. We discuss the case of an elderly immunocompromised woman who presented with a persistent erythematous plaque on the elbow after minor trauma. A biopsy revealed Scedosporium apiospermum. Treatment usually requires surgical resection in conjunction with antifungal therapy.

Glomangioma: a case report and review of the literature.

Glomus tumors are benign localized tumors of the skin accounting for 1% to 2% of all soft tissue tumors. They may present as a solitary tumor or multiple tumors, termed glomangioma. We describe a 69-year-old man with a medical history of psoriasis and hypertension who presented with an incidental finding of multiple asymptomatic, noncompressible, blue lesions over his arms, chest, and back. The lesions, present since childhood, had never been subject to a workup. The patient had no history of gastrointestinal bleeding and no known family history of similar lesions. Physical examination revealed multiple nontender, blue, subcutaneous nodules that were 1 to 2 cm in diameter and located on the bilateral arms, chest, and back. The diagnosis of glomangioma was made and no further treatment was indicated.

Sex differences in the transmission, prevention, and disease manifestations of sexually transmitted diseases.

BACKGROUND: Dermatological manifestations of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) range from full body papulosquamous eruptions to genital ulcers and warts. The transmission, prevalence, and disease burden of STDs are not shared equally between the sexes. OBSERVATIONS: Women are more susceptible than men for the acquisition of the human immunodeficiency virus and other dangerous STDs because of economic, biological, and social factors, and often sustain more damage to their health from the disease. Conclusion This review article elucidates the differential effect of STDs on women vs men to better understand what is required to protect women from the morbidity and mortality of STDs.

Molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases in dermatology.

UNLABELLED: The molecular diagnosis of infectious disease has been growing considerably over the past decade. Nucleic acid amplification techniques, such as polymerase chain reaction, ligase chain reaction, transcription-mediated amplification, and nucleic acid sequence-based amplification, provide highly accurate diagnosis of numerous bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections involved in a variety of dermatologic diseases. In addition, signal amplification with hybrid capture, branched-DNA assays, and in situ hybridization have been used to detect numerous viral pathogens with high degrees of sensitivity and specificity. New technology that involves the use of DNA and protein microarrays has also enabled the detection of a variety of genes and gene mutations. With time, these diagnostic assays are decreasing in cost, gaining approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and becoming easier and more efficient to use. In the future, these assays will be able to deliver rapid and accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases within a single clinic visit. LEARNING OBJECTIVE: At the completion of this learning activity, participants should be familiar with molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases in dermatology.

Molecular diagnosis of cutaneous diseases.

OBJECTIVES: To provide an update on the molecular procedures used increasingly in the study and diagnosis of a variety of dermatologic malignancies and inflammatory disorders and to explore the potential use of these techniques in clinical dermatology. Herein, we review assays such as G-banding, fluorescence in situ hybridization, comparative genomic hybridization, and spectral karyotyping in conjunction with the polymerase chain reaction and DNA microarrays. DATA SOURCES: PubMed was searched for published articles on molecular diagnosis and dermatologic diseases. STUDY SELECTION: All English-language studies were selected if they provided useful methodologic information or highlighted the usefulness of molecular techniques. DATA EXTRACTION: Only methodologic and qualitative information was extracted. DATA SYNTHESIS: The information was synthesized into 2 sections: one describing the principles of different molecular diagnostic techniques, and the other highlighting the contributions of molecular diagnostic techniques to the understanding and diagnosis of several dermatologic diseases. CONCLUSIONS: A basic understanding of the principles of molecular diagnostic techniques is crucial for the practicing dermatologist to benefit from the increasing number of molecular diagnostic articles appearing in the literature and potentially to apply these methods in clinical practice.

Treatment of protozoan infections.

Protozoan infections can have a variety of different cutaneous manifestations in addition to systemic signs and symptoms of disease. Recognition and diagnosis can be difficult, as additional laboratory tests, in addition to biopsies, may be required. Treatment options for different protozoa vary and resolution of disease may be refractory despite lengthy treatment courses. An overview of cutaneous manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment regimen of amebiasis, leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis, and toxoplasmosis is outlined in this article.

Spectrum of ocular allergy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To elaborate and review the immunologic spectrum of the five basic types of ocular allergy. RECENT FINDINGS: Perennial allergic conjunctivitis (PAC) appears to be an extension of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) based on the similarity of clinical symptoms and the immune mechanism involved. T helper type 2 (TH2)-type cytokines, increased ratio of TH1/TH2 cytokines and increased statement of adhesion molecules all appear to play an integral role in the inflammatory process of SAC and PAC. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC), which is a pediatric disease, differs from SAC and PAC by its more severe and chronic nature. Increased numbers of T cells, eosinophils (along with the products of degranulation), chemokines and their receptors may contribute to the more serious symptoms of VKC. Atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) is similar to VKC by the increased concentration of cytokines involved (i.e. interleukin-4 and -5). Despite clinical similarities with VKC, the presence of atopic dermatitis, along with some differences in clinical signs, make AKC a separate entity, which is sometimes referred to as an adult variant of VKC. Giant papillary conjunctivitis has similar cell involvement as VKC and AKC. However, giant papillary conjunctivitis differs from VKC and AKC by the clinical signs present (i.e. the presence of giant papillae) and the necessary concurrent contact lens wear. SUMMARY: The important differences and similarities observed in these five types of allergic diseases might help to better treat the patients affected with these disorders.