Eponyms in dermatology literature linked to genital skin disorders

Abstract

There are numerous eponymous systemic diseases which may affect genital skin or sexual organs in both genders. For example Behcet disease which is characterized by relapsing oral aphthae, genital ulcers and iritis. This disease is named after Hulusi Behcet [1] (1889–1948), (Fig. 1), the Turkish dermatologist and scientist who first recognized the syndrome. This disease also called „Adamantiades’ syndrome” or „Adamandiades-Behcet syndrome”, for the work done by Benediktos Adamantiades. Benediktos Adamantiades (1875-1962), (Fig. 2) was a Greek ophthalmologist [2]. Another example of systemic disease with genital involvement is Reiter syndrome which is recently called reactive arthritis. This syndrome is characterized by arthritis, urethritis, and conjunctivitis. It is named after German physician Hans Reiter [3] (18811969), (Fig. 3). However, the name „Reiter’s syndrome”, has become unpopular in the past decade as Reiter’s history of Nazi party membership, forced human experimentation in the Buchenwald concentration camp, and subsequent prosecution in Nuremberg as a war criminal, have come to light. One more example is syphilis. In 1530, the name „syphilis” was first used by the Italian physician and poet Girolamo Fracastoro [4] (1478-1553), as the title of his Latin poem in dactylic hexameter describing the ravages of the disease in Italy. In his well-known poem „Syphilidis sive de morbo gallico libri tres” (Three books on syphilis or the French disease), he coined the name by which we now know the disease from the legend of a shepherd called Syphilus who had purportedly gotten the illness as a punishment for defying the gods. In Table I [5-20], however, we highlighted in particular to eponymous conditions which are primarily a disorders of genital area. EPONYMS IN DERMATOLOGY LITERATURE LINKED TO GENITAL SKIN DISORDERS