Indian journal of dermatology, venereology and leprology
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Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol · May 2012
Photoprotection and vitamin D status: a study on awareness, knowledge and attitude towards sun protection in general population from Kuwait, and its relation with vitamin D levels.
The primary cause of skin cancers is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. And, for decades sun protection has been promoted in various public health education campaigns. Recently, however, vitamin D deficiency has been related to increased risk of skin cancers. And, skin being the primary site for the synthesis of active form of vitamin D, excessive sun protection could lead to vitamin D-deficient states. But, the results have so far been conflicting. ⋯ Population at large seems to be adequately informed about the beneficial and deleterious effects of sun exposure. Vitamin D levels are deficient in majority of our people, and there is a need to do larger surveys covering all parts of the country and give supplemental doses of vitamin D to those found deficient.
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Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol · May 2012
Review Case ReportsCongenital self-healing histiocytosis presenting as blueberry muffin baby: a case report and literature review.
Congenital self-healing Langerhans cell histiocytosis (CSHLCH), also called as Hashimoto-Pritzker disease, is a rare, benign variant of histiocytosis. Despite the initial dramatic clinical presentation, affected infants are otherwise healthy and skin lesions disappear spontaneously within several weeks to months. We present a case of CSHLCH presenting as blueberry muffin baby. ⋯ At the pediatric dermatology unit of our clinic, during the last 20 years, we had 10 children with Langerhans cell histiocytosis and among them only one with CSHLCH. In the literature, we found only 5 newborns with Langerhans cell histiocytosis presenting as blueberry muffin baby, among them only 4 with self-healing CSHLCH. The early recognition of CSHLCH may spare children from redundant and potentially toxic systemic treatment.
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Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol · May 2012
Clinical TrialRole of polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals from India (South).
Trichomonas vaginalis is a protozoan parasite and an etiological agent for trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Fifty to eighty percentage of women with trichomoniasis are asymptomatic and in the absence of treatment the infection persists longer. ⋯ Our study showed that the PCR assay for the amplification of adhesion gene is a highly sensitive method to screen the high risk group individuals like HIV-positive women for Trichomonas vaginalis compared to the culture. Testing algorithm should be, wet mount and if negative, test by PCR as it is rapid compared to culture which takes 7 days.