Congenital Dermatosis Research Articles

Skin diseases of the external genitalia. Recognition and treatment.

Dermatologic diseases of the genitalia are of several types: congenital diseases, acquired diseases (those caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, or physical or chemical toxins), tumors, and atrophic dermatoses. The methods available to diagnose these diseases vary. Some conditions may be recognized by appearance alone, whereas others require histopathologic examination of involved skin for correct diagnosis. Some do not need treatment, while others call for an aggressive approach. Some types of genital dermatologic diseases, such as herpes infections and condylomata acuminata, appear to be associated with genital carcinogenesis. Patients with these diseases should be carefully examined.

Cutaneous Disorders Associated With Bone and Joint Changes

A number of dermatoses associated with skeletal changes have been collected and organized for presentation with brief comment. Categories include deep fungous infections, neurodermatoses, congenital dermatoses, new growths and lymphomas. The illustrative material has been chosen to demonstrate the importance of awareness by the physician of the association of cutaneous and skeletal changes.

Epidermolysis Bullosa Hereditaria Treated with Antimalarials

The antimalarial drugs have been found to be useful in the treatment and arrest of chronic discoid lupus erythematosus, the light sensitive dermatoses, rheumatoid arthritis, and other of the so called collagen diseases. Although the method of action is unknown, current case reports reveal that this group of drugs is being used in many other disease entities whose etiology is both known and unknown. The following reports of 2 patients with epidermolysis bullosa hereditaria and their clinical response to antimalarial therapy suggests another use for these drugs. A careful search of the literature for the past 10 years reveals no previous report of the use of antimalarial drugs in the treatment of any type of congenital dermatosis. Case 1.— A white female, age 19 years, presented herself with a history of recurrent blisters and ulcers on the exposed portions of the body— face, neck, arms, forearms, hands, legs, and dorsa of

Mucoid Substances and Cutaneous Connective Tissue in Dermatoses: II. Mucoid Alterations in Degenerative and Congenital Dermatoses

A. The Mucoid Character of Basophilic Degeneration of Exposed and Senile Skin The basophilic degeneration of the exposed and senile skin has been the subject of numerous investigations, ever since Unna (53), in 1894, described the basophilic masses as “Kollastin”, a mixture of “Kollacin” and “Elacin” which, in turn, he regarded as degenerative products of collagen and elastin. Ferreira-Marques and van Uden (11), in 1950, discussed the controversy concerning the origin of the basophilic masses in detail. These authors quoted, among others, Kissmeyer and With (20), and Kreibich (23), in favor of their own contention of an essentially elastic nature of the degeneration. Ejiri (9), Dick (8) and Vernoni (54), after examining numerous specimens, came to the same conclusion, and Lever (28), in his textbook, also advocated this view. On the other hand, Percival et al. (41), maintained a collagenous character of the basophilic degeneration while Weidman (57), Hill and Montgomery (17), and others (10), tended to accept Unna's opinion of a mixed, collagenous-elastic nature of the masses.

Universal ichthyosis; occurrence in 3 siblings without family history of major dermatoses.

Cockayne suggested that all unusual cases of hereditary dermatoses be reported; therefore the following cases are reported. As may be seen from the family chart, there was no previous history of any generalized or severe congenital dermatosis in the family history. D. B., a white boy aged 5 years, when first seen, in April 1944, had a universally moderately erythematous, dry ichthyotic skin with pronounced scaling. Although the hair on his scalp was slightly sparse, the other dermal appendages were essentially normal. The nails were well formed. A younger brother aged 1½ years and a sister aged 3 years showed essentially the same cutaneous picture. The patient was put on treatment with high doses of vitamin A without any improvement. Unfortunately no biopsy specimen was obtained. Authorities are agreed that ichthyosis vulgaris is inherited and that it often skips one or more generations, but the published pedigrees are disappointingly few,