1/410. Febrile perianal streptococcal dermatitis. We describe a child with an unusual presentation of perianal streptococcal dermatitis which included fever, acral scarletiniform desquamation, and extension of erythema to involve the genitalia and proximal thighs, as well as the commonly seen well-defined erythema of the perianal area. We suggest that isolated group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GAS) in our patient produced a pyrogenic exotoxin similar to that which appears in scarlet fever. ( info) |
2/410. Diagnostic clues to dermatitis artefacta. We report a case of dermatitis artefacta in a 36-year-old man who had progressive, nonhealing ulcers and swelling of his right arm. The lesions spared two tattoos. In addition, our patient had several of the classic features of dermatitis artefacta. We outline more than a dozen diagnostic clues that may help the clinician faced with this difficult problem. ( info) |
3/410. herpes zoster in seven disparate dermatomes (zoster multiplex): report of a case and review of the literature. Noncontiguous multidermatomal herpes zoster is very rare in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised persons. Most of the reported cases have been limited to 2 noncontiguous dermatomes. This unique presentation has been referred to as zoster duplex unilateralis or bilateralis, depending on whether one or both halves of the body are involved. Granulomatous dermatitis at sites of herpes zoster scars, a rare isotopic response, has only been reported in persons with contiguous dermatomes of zoster. We describe an immunocompromised patient who developed herpes zoster in 7 disparate dermatomes. Three months after resolution of the zoster, the patient developed a granulomatous dermatitis in a zosteriform distribution at the sites of previous infection. ( info) |
| A 56-year-old woman presented with a recurrent itchy eruption mainly involving her face and upper trunk for 5 years. The rash flared cyclically 3 days before her menstruation and improved 5-10 days after the onset of her period. Examination revealed erythematous maculopapules, vesicles and crusting mainly on her face and upper trunk. biopsy from a papule revealed spongiotic dermatitis. Intradermal testing with oestrogen was positive. There was marked improvement with tamoxifen. Sensitivity to oestrogen and progesterone is rare in women and the clinical presentation may be similar. Positive intradermal testing is diagnostic. tamoxifen is effective in treating oestrogen sensitivity. ( info) |
5/410. Dermatosis in a child with kwashiorkor secondary to food aversion. kwashiorkor is a common affliction of children worldwide. It occurs less often in developed countries, but has been reported under a variety of circumstances, including poverty, neurologic disease, and malabsorption. Because of its rare occurrence in the united states and because the affected child has an edematous rather than wasted appearance, physicians often do not consider it as a diagnostic entity. This article describes a case of kwashiorkor in a child with food aversion that manifested as "flaky paint dermatitis." Our discussion will attempt to delineate underlying conditions that may predispose to kwashiorkor. In addition, biochemical and cellular etiologic factors that may be linked with classical and nonclassical skin findings of kwashiorkor are considered. Finally, we present a differential diagnosis for any child with a generalized eczematous or desquamative rash. Our aim is to increase the ability of health care providers to identify and treat children with kwashiorkor in a timely manner. ( info) |
6/410. Three hong kong Chinese cases of pretibial epidermolysis bullosa: a genodermatosis that can masquerade as an acquired inflammatory disease. Three patients in two families presented with many years' history of fragile skin, blisters, erosions and scars affecting almost exclusively the shin areas, accompanied by a variable degree of itching. Two of the patients also had toenail dystrophy. skin biopsy revealed dermal-epidermal blister formation and milia but no immunohistochemical evidence of immunoglobulin or complement deposition. Electron microscopic study of the lesional and perilesional skin showed very sparse or absent anchoring fibrils. Immunolabelling for type VII collagen using LH 7.2 monoclonal antibody revealed a bright, linear staining pattern at the dermal-epidermal junction. The clinicopathological features were thus compatible with pretibial epidermolysis bullosa, a subtype of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Of note, the inflammatory nature of the skin lesions, and their resemblance to nodular prurigo and hypertrophic lichen planus, had caused diagnostic difficulties in all cases in the past. A high degree of awareness of this rare subtype of epidermolysis bullosa is important to establish the correct diagnosis, to allow for genetic counselling and to plan clinical management. ( info) |
7/410. Allergic dermatitis due to oral ebrotidine. We report the case of a woman who developed generalized dermatitis after 1 week of treatment with ebrotidine, a new H2-receptor antagonist taken to prevent gastroduodenal lesions caused by nonsteroidal inflammatory drugs. patch tests with ebrotidine and other H2-receptor antagonists ranitidine, cimetidine and famotidine were negative. Oral challenge test with ebrotidine showed the development of lesions similar to those appearing previously. Oral challenge test with ranitidine and cimetidine were negative, possibly due to the difference in the side chain chemical structure of ebrotidine and other H2-receptor antagonists. This is the first reported case of allergic dermatitis caused by ebrotidine. ( info) |
8/410. Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis with plaques. We report on the clinical and histopathologic findings of four patients who had asymptomatic, erythematous to violaceous plaques symmetrically distributed on the upper aspect of the thighs, lateral chest, and in two cases also on the abdomen and flexor surface of the elbows. All of the patients were women; two of them had arthritis, which in one case was associated with an autoimmune disorder, and another had autoimmune thyroiditis. Histopathologically, all cases showed similar changes consisting of an interstitial granulomatous dermatitis involving mostly the lower reticular dermis. histiocytes were the predominant cellular component, arranged interstitially and in small palisades around foci of degenerated collagen bundles in concert with large numbers of neutrophils and eosinophils. Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis can present different clinical expressions, including linear cords, papules, and, as in our cases, plaques. This peculiar histopathologic pattern falls into the spectrum of cutaneous extravascular necrotizing granuloma, a condition that is often associated with systemic autoimmune disease. ( info) |
9/410. Paederus dermatitis: a report of 46 cases in Aydin, turkey. Paederus dermatitis is a specific form of acute irritant contact dermatitis caused by pederin, a secretion of insects of the genus Paederus. The disease is characterized by vesicles, bullae and sometimes small pustules on an erythematous base with sudden onset of a stinging, burning sensation. The dermatitis is most frequently seen in regions with a hot, tropical climate. We present 46 cases from Aydin, turkey, a province well known for its long hot summers. These are the first cases reported from this region. We would like to point out the possibility of Paederus dermatitis in regions with a similar climate and suggest that 'night burn' be included among other differential diagnoses of a grouped vesicular and/or pustular lesion on an erythematous base. copyright (R) 2000 S.Karger AG, Basel ( info) |
10/410. Guttate psoriasis triggered by perianal streptococcal dermatitis in a four-year-old boy. Perianal streptococcal dermatitis (PSD) is a superficial bacterial infection usually with group A beta-hemolytic streptococci. PSD is often misdiagnosed for long periods and patients are subjected to treatments for a variety of differential diagnoses without success. We report a 4-year-old boy with PSD who presented to our clinic with guttate psoriasis for 2 reasons: first, to make dermatologists aware of PSD and second, to emphasize the necessity to examine patients, particularly pediatric patients, with guttate psoriasis very thoroughly and swab both the pharynx and perianal and/or perigenital areas even when they are, or seem to be, asymptomatic for bacterial infections. Once PSD has been diagnosed, systemic antibiotic therapy with penicillin, erythromycin, roxithromycin, or azithromycin (probably augmented by topical mupirocin ointment) should be the treatment of choice. Therapy should be monitored by posttreatment perianal and throat swabs as well as a urine analysis to monitor for poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. ( info) |