1/17. Black spot poison ivy: A report of 5 cases and a review of the literature. Black-spot poison ivy dermatitis is a rare manifestation of a common condition. It occurs on exposure to the resins of the plants of the rhus family also known as toxicodendron. We describe 5 patients with black deposits on their skin and clothing after contact with poison ivy and review the literature reflecting different aspects of this phenomenon including clinical presentation, histologic findings, and historical background. ( info) |
| zirconium granuloma of the skin, initially seen following the use of zirconium deodorants, continues to occur secondary to the treatment of plant dermatitis with compounds containing zirconium. In our patient the reaction appeared eight weeks after initial use of the agent and has persisted for 18 months without therapy. Intradermal injection of minute amounts of a soluble zirconium compound resulted in production of a lesion that was identical clinically and histologically with the primary lesion at the end of four weeks. Although this disorder involves the skin primarily, the slight elevation in gamma-globulin level observed may be a reflection of its systemic pathogenesis. ( info) |
3/17. Microhyphema. A case of microscopic hemorrhage into the anterior chamber is described. Slit-lamp examination disclosed a steady fine stream of blood issuing from a tiny grayish bulblike microhemangioma at the pupillary border. fluorescein biomicroscopy revealed several similar microhemangiomas on the borders of each pupil. It is presumed that minor ocular irritation, due either to poison ivy or to a menthol (0.70%) cream which the patient applied to her face, precipitated the microhyphema. ( info) |
4/17. A case of elevated intraocular pressure associated with systemic steroid therapy. Although it is well known that topically administered steroids can increase intraocular pressure systemically administered steroids are much less frequently implicated in episodes of ocular hypertension. In the case reported, a marked increase in intraocular pressure was apparently caused by seroids used in treating poison ivy dermatitis. Pressures returned to normal shortly after the drug was withdrawn. ( info) |
5/17. Systemic contact dermatitis from herbal and homeopathic preparations used for herpes virus treatment. Systemic contact dermatitis may occur in contact-sensitized individuals when they are exposed to haptens orally, transcutaneously, intravenously or by inhalation. We report the case of a woman developing a diffuse skin eruption after the topical use of rhus toxicodendron alcoholic extract and the oral introduction of a homeopathic preparation of the same substance for herpes treatment. An open test, performed with the rhus toxicodendron tincture, showed an erythemato-oedematous response at 48 h and vesicular reaction at 96 h that was still present after 7 days. Patch test with 65% ethyl alcohol gave negative results. The open test performed, as control, in eight healthy informed subjects revealed negative responses to rhus tincture application. The result is interesting because in italy, allergic contact dermatitis to rhus is uncommon and this case increases the understanding of the pathogenetic mechanism leading to systemic contact dermatitis development. ( info) |
6/17. Poison ivy: an underreported cause of erythema multiforme. The relationship between herpes simplex virus (HSV) and erythema multiforme (EM) has been well described. Many authors contend that EM (excluding Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis) occurs almost exclusively as a response to HSV infection. During the past year, however, we have observed several cases of EM complicating severe rhus allergic contact dermatitis. Although this association has been previously documented, the paucity of cases in the literature, along with our experience, suggests that this is an underreported phenomenon. We describe 4 of our cases. ( info) |
7/17. Successful treatment of poison oak dermatitis treated with grindelia spp. (Gumweed). Poison oak and related hypersensitivity dermatitides are age-old problems that have historically been treated with herbal medicines before the availability of corticosteroids. Few of these historical therapies have been rigorously investigated. The case presented here provides some insight into the potential efficacy of certain herbs for relieving mild-to-moderate poison ivy dermatitis. ( info) |
8/17. Three cases of severe rhus dermatitis in an English primary school. We report three paediatric cases of severe allergic contact dermatitis caused by a Japanese lacquer tree (rhus verniciflua), which is a rare specimen plant in the UK. The diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis produced by plants that are not indigenous to a particular country is more likely to be delayed, as well as mistaken for cellulitis. ( info) |
| BACKGROUND: We present two cases of toxicodendron dermatitis, one acquired in the united states but presenting in the United Kingdom (UK), the other a recurrent dermatitis following importation of the plant to the UK. Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac are native to north america and belong to the genus toxicodendron. This group of plants is of interest to the dermatologist because they contain a mixture of potent sensitisers which cause a severe allergic contact dermatitis. CONCLUSIONS: The dermatitis can present to the dermatologist in europe after an individual has been in contact with the plant whilst visiting an endemic area. The plants have the potential to grow in europe and it is therefore possible for an individual to be sensitised and subsequently to develop the rash without leaving the continent. ( info) |
| Drug-induced, photosensitive erythema multiforme has not been reported, although drugs and sunlight are listed among precipitating factors in erythema multiforme. We describe a case of a drug-induced erythema multiforme-like eruption in a photodistribution that was reproduced by clinical challenge with the drug and sunlight. On contact with rhus verniciflua, the Japanese lacquer tree, the patient had a flare of the eruption, which was limited to the areas previously exposed to sun. Immunohistochemical studies suggested that the keratinocytes in the skin that retain teh photoactivated substances may facilitate epidermal invasion of lymphocytes by persistent expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1. ( info) |