Pigmented naevi and sun protection behaviour among primary and secondary school students in an Eastern Hungarian city.

BACKGROUND: The most important risk factors for malignant melanoma are skin type I or II, large number of atypical naevi and a history of sunburn in childhood and adolescence. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed to assess skin type, number of pigmented lesions and sun protection behaviour in 1157 12- to 19-year-old Hungarian students at 20 primary and secondary schools in Debrecen, Hungary. After receiving dermatological training, 18 school doctors examined the students' skin. A questionnaire was completed by the students with the assistance of their parents about sun protection, sunburns and the use of sunbed. Data from 612 questionnaires were evaluated. RESULTS: Based on the doctors' evaluation, most of the pupils were classified as having skin type II and majority of them had 5-20 naevi, particularly on the trunk. Based on the student's response, 5.2% purposely sunbathed daily, 10.1% did not use any form of sun protection, 32.2% wore sun-protective clothing and 65.7% applied sunscreen generally. 6.9% used sunbed, and 74.0% previously experienced serious sunburn at least once. Indoor tanning statistically correlated with the number of melanocytic naevi. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of sunburn was reported by the students and some of them did not apply any sun protection methods but used sunbed at a critical age for developing melanoma at a later time. These data highlight the importance of educating children and parents about appropriate sun protection.

[Jellyfish sting. A case report]. / Medúzacsípésrol egy eset kapcsán.

Jellyfish bites in Hungary are rare. Yet, from a differential diagnostic point of view this epizoonozis might gain importance given the ever-growing popularity of seaside tourism. A 10 year old female patient was stung by a jellyfish while sea-bathing in the Adriatic in the summer of 2005. A couple of minutes after the bite urticaria were formed in the contacted area accompanied by a burning and sore sensation. In a few hours the above lesions turned livid and the patient developed low-grade fever and general discomfort. In acute therapy she received thorough rinse with vinegar, antibiotic ointment and systemic calcium. General symptoms regressed within 24 hours and dermatological symptoms improved progressively. Finally, the patient grew symptomless in 4 weeks altogether due to general antihistamine and local antibiotic therapy. 3 months later the patient presented again with hyperaemic papules and an increasing itching and burning sensation in the previously jellyfish-contacted area. Histopathology showed vascular involvement and eosinophilic infiltration. The inflammatory symptoms gradually diminished to locally applied steroids in an occlusive bandage leaving behind hypopigmentation. Although bare-skin contact with the different poisonous jellyfish species usually do lead to the forming of dermatological symptoms, vascular involvement developed months after the encounter in the exposure site has seldom been published. The article covers the main potential symptoms of jellyfish stings--both local and general--going into details about the possible dermatological differential diagnoses. Furthermore, the most venomous jellyfish species, their geographical habitats, do's and don't-s of first aid, therapy and prevention are being briefly discussed by the authors.