Effective treatment of erythrasma-associated inflammation and pruritus with isoconazole nitrate and diflucortolone valerate combination therapy.

A warm and moist environment is a common risk factor for erythrasma, a condition characterized by pruritic, scaly and erythematous tan patches on the skin. Here we report on a 13-year-old athletic student presenting with pruritus and mild burning on her left medial thigh, and subsequently diagnosed with erythrasma. The patient was successfully treated with a 5-day regimen of Travocort cream containing isoconazole nitrate 1% and diflucortolone valerate 0.1%.

[Swimmer's eczema: intertrigo, erythrasma or a yeast or fungus infection?]. / Zwemmerseczeem: intertrigo, erythrasma of een infectie met een gist of schimmel?

OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportional contributions of tinea pedis, intertrigo, erythrasma and Candida to 'swimmer's eczema.' DESIGN: Descriptive. SETTING: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Leiden, the Netherlands. METHOD: General practitioners were encouraged to refer every patient with clinical signs of foot mycosis. Mycological tests (culture and microscopy) were performed. RESULTS: A total of 296 patients with interdigital mycosis and 30 with tinea pedis of the moccasin type were included. In 56% of the patients with swimmer's eczema dermatophytes were recognised, 10% showed erythrasma and in 30% no cause could be found. Candida only played a minor role. Trichophyton mentagrophytes was found more often in swimmer's eczema than in tinea pedis of the moccasin type. CONCLUSION: Swimmer's eczema has several causes, which can be determined with mycological tests. Microscopy is the most sensitive method in regard to demonstrating dermatophytes and erythrasma.

[Generalized erythrasma]. / Eritrasma generalizado.

A case of generalized Erythrasma is reported. Reference to its denomination and etiology is made. His apparition in type II diabetics patients is analyzed. Therapeutics considerations of this disorder is made.

Concomitant erythrasma and dermatophytosis of the groin.

Four patients are reported with concomitant erythrasma and trichophyton rubrum dermatophytosis of the groin. The recognition and diagnosis of these associated infections is emphasized.

Coexistence of pityriasis versicolor and erythrasma.

We describe a 53-year-old woman with pityriasis versicolor together with erythrasma that was localized in the axillary and genitocrural region. The coexistence of these infections is rare and we propose the use of methylene blue stain for the diagnosis of both diseases.

La pitiriasis versicolor y las levaduras del género Malassezia / Pityriasys versicolor and the yeasts of genus Malassezia

Aunque la pitiriasis versicolor (PV) es la única enfermedad humana en la que el rol etiológico de las levaduras Malassezia está plenamente establecido, permanece como objeto de controversia cuál (o cuáles) es la especie implicada. La mayoría de los estudios llevados a cabo en estos últimos años apoyan nuestra hipótesis, expuesta ya en 1999, indicando que M. globosa es la especie predominante en las lesiones de PV, al menos en los climas templados. La confirmación de esta hipótesis podría ayudar a comprender las condiciones, todavía poco claras, que inducen la transformación de esta levadura de su forma saprofita presente en la piel sana, a la parasitaria, caracterizada por la formación de pseudomicelio, y ayudarían también a establecer las mejores medidas terapéuticas. Por otro lado, el aislamiento de otra especie, M. furfur, que parece predominar en regiones tropicales, podría plantear la posibilidad de un segundo agente etiológico confinado a ciertas áreas geográficas, como acontece en algunas otras micosis humanas (AU)

Although pityriasis versicolor is the only human disease for which Malassezia yeasts have been fully established as pathogens, it is still not clear which species are implicated. Most studies carried out in recent years support our hypothesis —proposed in 1999— that Malassezia globos a is the predominant species in pityriasis versicolor lesions, at least in temperate climates. Confirmation of this hypothesis could help us understand the conditions, as yet unclear, that induce transformation of this yeast from the saprophytic form present in healthy skin to the parasitic form, characterized by the formation of pseudomycelium, and could also guide therapy. In addition, isolation of another species, Malassezia furfur, which seems to be predominant in the tropics, raises the possibility of a second etiologic agent confined to certain areas, as occurs with some other human mycoses (AU)