[Immunopathological studies in herpes gestationis]. / Estudos de inmunopatologia no herpes gestationis.

Immunologic studies were made in two patients with "herpes gestationis". Direct and indirect immunofluorescence studies lead to the following results: 1. DIF was done with antisera against IgG, IgM, IgA, IgE and C3. Only the deposit of C3 was detected on the basal membrane zone of the lesioned skin. In one of the patients the deposit was found also on healthy skin. 2. IIF did not show immunoglobulins against the basal membrane in sera but in both patients a termolabil factor (factor HG) which activates the fixation of the complement onto the basal membrane zone was detected. No correlation between the immunopathologic pattern of Herpes gestationis and that of the other bullous diseases which cause subepidermic bullae was found. However there was a significant similarity between the immunologic pattern of Herpes gestationis and Bullous pemphigoid.

[Aspects of cutaneous sarcoidosis in Brazil]. / Aspectos da sarcoidose cutanea no Brasil

This study collects all cases of sarcoidosis with cutaneous involvement referred to in the Brazilian literature. Only 40 cases could be found confirming the rarity of the disease in Brazil. With regard to these cases the following aspects of the disease were studied: age, incidence, race and sex distribution, origin of patients, clinical forms, systemic involvement, behaviour of the intradermic reactions and histopathology. Some characteristics could be established: 1) Females are most frequently affected than males. 2) No racial differences were noticed as far as the caucasian and the negroid are concerned. 3) The onset of the disease occurred between 16 and 69 years of age (mean age 37). 4) All patients originated from the south-central region of the country. 5) The most frequent cutaneous forms were associations of papulous lesions, nodular lesion and plaques. 6) Besides the skin, involvement of lymph nodes, bones, liver, eyes, spleen, salivary glands, heart, bowels and the facial nerve could be found. Heerfordt syndrome (uneoparotidic fever) was seen only once. Death occurred twice. 7) Kveim test was positive in all 11 cases in which it was done. Tuberculin and lepromin tests resulted in weak reaction or its complete absence. 8) All cases were confirmed by histopathology. Eight of the forty biopsies were reexamined by the authors themselves.