Specialized Subjects in Dermatology
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Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy) – Clinical features (For professionals)
Thursday, June 10th, 2010Leprosy primarily affects the skin and nerves of humans. The lesions may be remarkably asymptomatic even after years of existence. However, some patients develop reactions resulting in painful cutaneous lesions accompanied by fever, malaise and other symptoms. Most frequently the first signs develop on the skin, even though the nerve is always involved simultaneously. In […]
Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy) – The disease and its classification (For professionals)
Thursday, June 10th, 2010The type of disease developed is partially linked to the HLA genes: HLA DR2 and HLA DR3 predispose to tuberculoid disease and HLA–Mt1 to lepromatous disease. Environmental factors such as poor nutrition and poor sanitation play a role through altered immunity in a yet ill-understood mechanism. Human disease results from formation of granulomas in the […]
Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy): Etiology: Mycobacterium leprae and its transmission (For Professionals)
Thursday, June 10th, 2010Mycobacterium leprae is the cause of leprosy – the organism being first discovered by Armauer Hansen in 1873. The infected human being is considered to be the only source of infection. Although 4% of the nine-banded armadillo in the USA have naturally acquired leprosy-like disease, only a handful of the spread from the armadillo to […]
Hansen’s Disease (Leprosy) – Introduction (For professionals)
Thursday, June 10th, 2010Leprosy has struck fear into human beings for thousands of years. Since ancient times, leprosy has been regarded as a highly contagious, mutilating and incurable disease and this has led to an intense negative reaction from the community – many of whom dread the people afflicted with leprosy more than the disease itself. However, with […]
Skin lesions in Crohn’s disease (for professionals)
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010Dr Christophe HSU – dermatologist. Geneva, Switzerland Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory disease of the digestive tract. It is clinically characterized by abdominal pain, bloody stools…Histologically, structures called granulomas are found in the inflammatory affected areas. We are interested in the skin problems which can be associated with this condition because we have observed therapeutical […]
Tokelau (Tinea Imbricata): Geographical Distribution (For professionals)
Sunday, May 16th, 2010Geographical Distribution Tokelau refers to 3 atolls lying midway between Hawaii (Hawai) and New Zealand around 300Km to the North of Samoa. The population is around 1500 for a 12 sq. Km. surface. The isolation combined with the high humidity and density might explain in part the propensity of having this fungal infection. The condition […]
Tokelau (Tinea Imbricata): Clinical Presentation (For professionals)
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010Clinical Presentation The disease presents with rapid development of polymorphic and polycyclic patches. Little erythema is present but itching tends to be intense. The disease starts with brownish maculo-papules with a central detachment progressing towards the periphery. The free border is turned towards the centre and a brownish edge leads the active edge. It can […]
Tokelau (Tinea Imbricata): Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis (For professionals)
Thursday, April 15th, 2010Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis Diagnosis is clinical and can be confirmed by scale scrapings and fungal culture. In acute presentation in can be confused with secondary syphilis, granuloma annulare and erythema annulare centrifugum. In chronic presentation it can look like ichtyosis and erythema gyratum repens. Bibliography
Tokelau (Tinea Imbricata): Causes (Etiology)
Friday, April 2nd, 2010Causes The condition is caused by a strictly anthropophilic dermatophyte called tinea concentricum. Transmission is incompletely understood. Close contact is important but not enough and genetic (mode of inheritance mainly autosomal recessive (“pure race”) with a few autosomal dominant cases), environmental (poor hygiene, iron deficiency, malnutrition) and immunological factors play an important role. Bibiography
Melasma (for professionals)
Saturday, March 27th, 2010Melasma (for professionals) Melasma is a very cumbersome condition especially in pigmented skin. It is important to note that only superficial located pigment can improve, not the pigment located deeper in the dermis. Examination with Wood’s lamp (360nm, blue light) is a plus (note that it may be less reliable in phototypes IV and above […]
