Progression of Infective Dermatitis Associated with HTLV-1 to Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma-Case Report and Literature Review.

ABSTRACT: The human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 is a retrovirus that may cause severe diseases such as infective dermatitis associated with HTLV-1 (IDH) and adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL). IDH is a chronic relapsing infected eczema of childhood, and ATL is a distinct type of peripheral T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, which is classified into the following types: smoldering, primary cutaneous tumoral, chronic, lymphoma, and acute. Progression of IDH to ATL during the course of IDH has been previously reported in 3 young patients, two of them from Bahia (Brazil). We present the case of a 22-year-old man who had IDH since childhood and developed ATL 18 months ago. The lymphoma lesions were superimposed on previously existing IDH lesions (forehead, axillae, umbilical area, and neck) or in areas generally affected by IDH (external genitalia, hypogastrium, groin, and eyelid). Cutaneous lesions in ATL are very frequent, but in this patient, besides infiltrated plaques and papules presented vesicles on the skin corresponding histologically to dilated Pautrier abscesses. Vesicular ATL is a rare condition. This case constitutes a very demonstrative example of the close correlation between IDH and ATL.

Toe Web Infection: Epidemiology and Risk Factors in a Large Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Toe web infection (TWI) is a bacterial infection of the interdigital space. In most cases, the infection is caused by gram-negative bacteria, secondary to a chronic fungal infection (dermatophytosis). The typical presentation includes macerations and erosions in the interdigital space. Predisposing factors include interdigital tinea, hyperhidrosis, and humidity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to characterize the TWI patient population and identify associated risk factors. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with TWI from 2006 to 2020 at Sheba Medical Center, Israel. Collected data included patients' demographics (age, sex, weight, and occupation), smoking pack-years, comorbidities, medications, and course of disease. RESULTS: A total of 200 patients were diagnosed with TWI. The median age at diagnosis was 51 years. The majority of the patients were men (72.5%). The most common comorbidities were dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, and ischemic heart disease. We found that 71.2% of patients were smokers, and 46.4% of patients had occupations that required closed-toe shoes. TWI incidence did not increase seasonally. Bilateral TWI was found in 50% of the patients, 33% had recurrent infections, and 20% had secondary cellulitis. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking and diabetes were more prevalent among TWI patients than in the general population, and there was a correlation between smoking and TWI recurrences. We identified risk factors for TWI to identify at-risk populations.

Ocular manifestations of dermatological diseases part I: infectious and inflammatory disorders.

Skin and eyes share a common embryological origin from the embryonic surface ectoderm. Ocular manifestations are one of the most important and common associations of dermatological diseases. Currently, there are few comprehensive reviews of the ocular manifestations of dermatological diseases. We have reviewed more than 40 published articles related to the ocular manifestations of the most important dermatological diseases. The search included Pubmed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases from 2014 to 2019. This review was divided into three parts including infections, inflammatory, genetics, connective tissue, autoimmune, neoplasms, and drug-related disorders. We excluded metabolic, endocrine, and nutrition-related dermatological diseases. The relationship of ocular manifestations and dermatological diseases is important to recognize for appropriate management since many dermatological diseases can manifest initially with ocular findings. In this part, we summarized the most common and significant ocular findings in infectious and inflammatory dermatological disorders with appropriate referral recommendations to ophthalmology.

Do SIRS Criteria Predict Clinical Outcomes in Diabetic Skin and Soft Tissue Infections?

The aim of this study was to assess whether systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is correlated with outcomes in diabetic foot infections (DFIs). We retrospectively reviewed 137 diabetic patients admitted to the hospital with Infectious Diseases Society of America moderate and severe DFIs. We used SIRS criteria to define severe infection based on the presence of at least 2 of the following: heart rate >90 bpm, temperature >38°C or <36°C, respiratory rate >20 breaths per minute, and white blood cell count >12,000/mm3 or <4,000/mm3. Patients with severe DFI were significantly younger (median 49.6 versus 53.6 years, p = .04), less often had type 2 diabetes (88.6% versus 98.9%, p = .01), and less often had a history of previous amputation (15.9% versus 40.9%, p < .01). There were no differences in patients with severe infections defined by SIRS versus moderate infections in the need for surgery (47.7% versus 59.1%, p = .27), any amputation (20.5% versus 29.0%, p = .29), leg amputations (6.8% versus 7.5%, p = .88), duration of antibiotics (median ± standard deviation 34.1 ± 46.5 versus 31.9 ± 47.2 days, p = .47), or healing within 1 year (68.2% versus 66.7%, p = 1.00). Length of hospital stay was the only outcome variable that was significantly different in severe infections (median 12.7 ± 11.9 versus 7.8 ± 5.8 days, p = .02). Foot-related readmission was more common in moderate infections (46.2% versus 25.0%, p = .02). In conclusion, SIRS criteria for severe infections in diabetic patients with skin and soft tissue infections were not associated with a difference in outcomes other than longer hospital stay.

Aspectos clínico-epidemiológicos de las infecciones de piel y partes blandas en neonatos / Clinical-epidemiological aspects of skin and soft tissue infections in newborns

Introducción: Las infecciones de piel y partes blandas constituyen una de las causas más frecuentes de consulta pediátrica, de lo cual no está exento el recién nacido, que por sus peculiaridades anatómicas, fisiológicas e inmunológicas, pueden convertirse en afecciones letales. Objetivo: Describir aspectos clínicos y epidemiológicos de los recién nacidos con infecciones de piel y partes blandas. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional, prospectivo y transversal en 256 pacientes que ingresaron en el Departamento de Neonatología del Hospital Pediátrico Universitario William Soler de enero de 2013 a diciembre de 2015. Se determinó la incidencia de las infecciones de piel y partes blandas, formas clínicas de presentación, edad, sexo, estadía, terapéutica utilizada y microorganismos aislados en hemocultivo. Resultados: En la muestra, 95,3 por ciento de los neonatos tenían más de 7 días de nacidos y 59,0 por ciento eran hembras. La tasa de incidencia fue de 16,1 × 100 ingresos y el 75,0 por ciento presentaba mastitis. El microorganismo más aislado en hemocultivos fue Staphylococcus aureus. El 60,9 por ciento de los pacientes recibieron monoterapia con Cefazolina. Conclusiones: La incidencia de las infecciones de piel y partes blandas fue mayor en el año 2014; los recién nacidos inician la enfermedad en la segunda semana de vida, en el sexo femenino, con una estadía hospitalaria menor de una semana. El microorganismo más aislado en hemocultivos es Staphylococcus aureus. Más de la mitad de los pacientes reciben monoterapia con Cefalosporina de primera generación como terapéutica con una evolución favorable(AU)

Introduction: Skin and soft tissue infections constitute one of the most frequent causes of pediatric consultations. Newborns are not exempt of that since their anatomic, physiological and immunological peculiarities can help to become those infections in letal ones. Objective: To describe clinical and epidemiological aspects of newborns presenting skin and soft tissue infections. Methods: An observational, prospective and cross-sectional study was carried out in 256 patients admitted in the Neonatology Department of William Soler Pediatric University Hospital from January, 2013 to Decmeber, 2015. There were determined: the incidence of skin and soft tissue infections, the clinical kinds, age, sex, stay, used therapy, microorganisms isolated in hemocultures. Results: In the sample, 95.3 percent of the newborns were of more than 7 days alive and 59.0 percent were female. The incidence rate was of 16.1 × 100 admissions, and 75.0 percent presented mastitis. The most isolated in hemocultures microorganism was Staphylococcus aureus. 60.9 percent of the patients had monotherapy with Cefazolin. Conclusions: The incidence of skin and soft tissue infections was higher in 2014; the disease onset in newborns in the second week of life, in females, with a hospital stay of less than a week. The most isolated in hemocultures microorganism is Staphylococcus aureus. More tan half of the patients undergone monotherapy with first generation Cephalosporines as a therapy with a favorable evolution(AU)

Reactive thrombocytosis in acute infectious diseases: Prevalence, characteristics and timing.

BACKGROUND: Reactive thrombocytosis is known to occur in infectious, inflammatory and neoplastic diseases. However, the characteristics of its association with acute infections (ID) has not been systematically studied. SETTING: A department of internal medicine in a general teaching hospital. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of admitted patients with a confirmed diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), urinary tract infection (UTI) or skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI). Key clinical and laboratory data were retrieved and patients with platelet counts >400 × 109/L who had no alternative cause of thrombocytosis were studied longitudinally and compared to patients with acute infections who had no thrombocytosis. RESULTS: Thirty two of 421 patients with acute infections (ID) had infection-associated thrombocytosis (7.6%): 11/125 patients with CAP (8.8%), 13/205 patients with UTI (6.3%) and 8/91 (8.8%) patients with SSTI. Their median ages (77-78 years), gender (48% males), admission temperature, Hb, and WBC were not significantly different from ID patients without thrombocytosis. However, patients with thrombocytosis had longer hospital stays (P = 0.001), more bacteremias (P = 0.048) and in 4/32 (12/5% vs. 2%) significantly increased combined mortality or suppurative complications (P = 0.0006). The ESR (median 70 vs. 40 mm/h, P = 0.000) and CRP (median 214 vs. 114 mg/dL, P < 0.0001) were found to be increased in ID-associated thrombocytosis patients, similarly for each ID. Platelets increase was already found on admission in 18 patients (56%), was mild in most cases (median 492.5 × 109/L, range 401-917 × 109/L) and resolved after recovery in all survivors. The median time to thrombocytosis was 1 day in patients with CAP, 4 days in UTI and 7.5 days in SSTI. No thrombotic complications were found. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 8% of patients with acute ID examined had thrombocytosis which was mostly mild, transient, and not usually indicative of an infectious complication. However, these patients had enhanced acute-phase response, increased length of hospital stay, more bacteremia and increased mortality/suppurative complications albeit affecting a minority of patients.

An unusual location of squamous cell carcinoma and a rare cutaneous infection caused by serratia marcescens on the tumoral tissue: A case report.

RATIONALE: Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens) is an opportunistic pathogen of the Enterobacteriaceae family. Although S. marcescens is known to cause sepsis, meningitis, endocarditis, urinary system and ocular infections, skin infections are sporadic. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most aggressive skin cancer type that is often located in the head and neck region, and rarely in the scalp tissue. PATIENT CONCERNS: An 89-years-old male patient was diagnosed with SCC three years ago. The frontal region of the skull showed an ulcerated tumor, irregular borders, and exophytic growth pattern. The destruction of the frontal bone made the vibrating brain tissue visible, and the lower part had haemopurulent flow. DIAGNOSES: Gram staining showed the proliferation of gram (-) bacilli. Bacteria were identified as non-pigmented S. marcessens in the wound culture. To the best of our knowledge, there have not been any cases reported with S. marcescens causing cutaneous infections on SCC. Therefore, our report is the first case in the literature. INTERVENTIONS: According to the culture antibiogram, S. marcescens was ciprofloxacin sensitive. Consequently, 1000 mg/day ciprofloxacin was initiated for 14 days. OUTCOMES: Purulent exudate in skin cancers may be caused by the nature of carcinoma tissue as well as the colonization of opportunistic pathogen microorganisms as seen in our patient. LESSONS: Examination of the wound cultures and elimination of infections are critical in these cases.

Clinicopathological features and course of cutaneous protothecosis.

BACKGROUND: Protothecosis is an uncommon infection caused by the achlorophyllic algae found more commonly in tropical areas. Only a limited number of cases have been reported. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes of cutaneous protothecosis. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 20 pathology-confirmed cases of cutaneous protothecosis based on skin biopsies in two tertiary medical centres in Taiwan from 1997 to 2015. RESULTS: The age of the patients at the time of diagnosis ranged from 48 to 85 years (mean age of 74 years). All lesions developed on the limbs. Twelve (60%) patients had adrenal insufficiency, but no patients had active malignancy at diagnosis. Interestingly, four (20%) patients had concurrent scabies infestation. Clinically, most lesions were erythematous plaques studded with punctate ulcers. Microscopically, the most common finding was granulomatous inflammation. Nineteen (95%) cases were successfully treated with itraconazole for 14-148 days with only one case of recurrence. Concomitant scabies should be suspected if pruritus is recalcitrant despite itraconazole treatment. CONCLUSION: Despite its rarity, cutaneous protothecosis has become more significant due to an increased prevalence of immunocompromised individuals. Steroid overuse or iatrogenic adrenal insufficiency predisposes individuals to high-risk infections. Neglecting the disease leads to a chronic and incurable state. Protothecosis should be suspected in chronic eczematous and ulcerative plaques on the limbs refractory to conventional antibacterial and antiviral treatments, especially in patients with adrenal insufficiency. Clinical suspicion should be confirmed by skin biopsies, and confirmed cases can be successfully treated with itraconazole.

Risk Factors for Invasive Fungal Infection among Thai Oncologic Patients with Febrile Neutropenia and Cutaneous Presentation: A 5-Year Retrospective Study in Southern Thailand

Background: Febrile neutropenia (FNP) is a condition defined by fever and neutropenia. There are current only limited data on related cutaneous manifestations. This study aimed to assess cutaneous lesions and their etiologies in a Thai group of FNP patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 43 non-transplant febrile neutropenic patients with concurrent cutaneous lesions, as determined by dermatopathologic studies at Songklanagarind Hospital in Thailand over a five-year period. Results: The mean age was 39 years (SD: 18.8). Approximately 60% were male. The most common underlying disease was a hematologic neoplasm. Twenty-one of the participants had developed FNP within 7.5±8.7 days after presenting with skin lesions. Twenty-two participants had skin lesions 9.0±11.1 days after FNP diagnosis. Cutaneous manifestations were mostly in the form of multiple lesions (67.4%), of which the most common were nodular skin lesions (37.2%) presenting on the lower extremities of the body (58.1%). The dermatopathologic diagnoses included infections which were almost all fungal and leukemia cutis. The development of skin lesions after FNP proved to be a statistically significant risk factor for fungal infection (OR 8.13, P = 0.009), whereas age (over 40 years) proved to be a statistically significant protective factor (OR 0.20, P = 0.04). Conclusions: There are a variety of cutaneous manifestations in FNP, of which the most common were cutaneous nodular skin lesions in the lower extremities. The most frequent infection was fungal in patients under 40 who had developed skin lesions after FNP.

Atopic dermatitis: addressing allergy, infection, itch and complementary therapies.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a complex condition that results from the dynamic interplay between genetic predisposition, skin barrier defects, environmental factors, and a dysfunctional immune system. As a result, AD can be complicated by irritant and allergic contact dermatitis and imbalances in the skin microbiome, which can subsequently exacerbate the severity and complicate the course of preexisting atopic disease. Itch is an important symptom of AD, as it plays a large role in the quality of life of patients and their families. Since AD is a chronic, inflammatory disease that recrudesces throughout life, many have utilized alternative and/or complementary therapies, as monotherapy or in conjunction with conventional therapies, as a form of management.

[Cutaneous granulomatosis]. / Granulomatoses cutanées.

Granulomatous skin diseases represent a large group of reactive dermatoses occurring in response to different stimuli and whose skin biopsy is characterized by a granulomatous inflammatory infiltrate. By their very heterogeneous clinical presentation, it seems difficult to distinguish them and make their diagnosis. Clinically, it may be useful to separate localized forms of disseminated forms of cutaneous granulomatosis, although this distinction is often artificial. We will discuss here the main forms of localized and disseminated cutaneous granulomatosis, and, in light of recent literature data, mention different therapeutic options in each case.

Experiences From a Combined Dermatology and Rheumatology Clinic: A Retrospective Review.

BACKGROUND: The Dermatology and Rheumatology Treatment Clinic is a novel multidisciplinary clinic where patients are concomitantly assessed by a rheumatologist and dermatologist. OBJECTIVES: To determine the number of patients seen in clinic, patient demographics, and most common diagnoses. METHOD: A retrospective review was performed over a 2-year period. Data collected included patient age, sex, dermatologic diagnosis, rheumatologic diagnosis, biopsies performed, and number of follow-up visits. RESULTS: A total of 320 patients were seen (78% female, 22% male). The most common rheumatologic diagnoses were systemic lupus erythematosus (18%), rheumatoid arthritis (15%), psoriatic arthritis (13%), and undifferentiated connective tissue disease (8%). The most common dermatologic diagnoses were dermatitis (17%), psoriasis (11%), cutaneous lupus (7%), various types of alopecia (6%), and infections (5%). CONCLUSIONS: Skin diagnoses were often unrelated to the underlying rheumatologic diagnosis. Rheumatologists and dermatologists can both benefit from being aware of the dermatologic conditions that rheumatologic patients are experiencing.

An unusual aetiology of back pain.

We present the case of a healthy young man who developed pyogenic myositis, an infection that is rare in the USA. He had no prior medical conditions except for an obsessive-compulsive disorder and skin picking disorder resulting in multiple superficial skin infections. He presented to our hospital with acute back pain. He was found to be septic with fever, tachycardia and elevated white cell counts. Imaging revealed evidence of myositis in the gluteal region. He was treated with antibiotics and fully recovered. It is likely that the skin picking disorder and the recurrent superficial skin infections are responsible for the development of this infection.

Pitfalls in diagnosing diabetic foot infections.

Although the diagnosis of a diabetic foot infection is made based on clinical symptoms and signs, we also use blood laboratory, microbiological and radiological studies to make treatment decisions. All of these diagnostic studies have pitfalls that can lead to a delay in diagnosis. Such delays will likely lead to further tissue damage and to a higher chance of amputation. One of these pitfalls is that some clinicians rely on microbiological, rather than clinical data, to diagnose infection. Though subjective by nature, clinical signs predict outcome of foot infections accurately. Another pitfall is that microbiological data can be misleading. All wounds harbour microorganisms; therefore, a positive wound culture does not mean that a wound is infected. Furthermore, the outcome of cultures of wound swabs does not correlate well with culture results of tissue biopsies. Therapy guidance by wound swab will likely lead to overtreatment of non-pathogenic organisms. Genotyping might have a role in identifying previously unrecognized (combinations of) pathogens in diabetic foot infection, bacteria in sessile phenotype and non-culturable pathogens, e.g. in cases where antibiotics have already been administered. One more pitfall is that the diagnosis of osteomyelitis remains difficult. Although the result of percutaneous bone biopsy is the reference standard for osteomyelitis, some other diagnostic modalities can aid in the diagnosis. A combination of several of these diagnostic tests is probably a good strategy to achieve a higher diagnostic accuracy. Relying on a single test will likely lead to misidentification of patients with osteomyelitis with associated overtreatment and undertreatment.

Interventions in the management of infection in the foot in diabetes: a systematic review.

The expert panel on diabetic foot infection (DFI) of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot conducted a systematic review seeking all published reports relating to any type of treatment for infection of the foot in persons with diabetes published as of 30 June 2014. This review, conducted with both PubMed and EMBASE, was used to update an earlier one undertaken on 30 June 2010 using the same search string. Eligible publications included those that had outcome measures reported for both a treated and a control population that were managed either at the same time, or as part of a before-and-after case design. We did not include studies that contained only information related to definition or diagnosis, but not treatment, of DFI. The current search identified just seven new articles meeting our criteria that were published since the 33 identified with the previous search, making a total of 40 articles from the world literature. The identified articles included 37 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and three cohort studies with concurrent controls, and included studies on the use of surgical procedures, topical antiseptics, negative pressure wound therapy and hyperbaric oxygen. Among the studies were 15 RCTs that compared outcomes of treatment with new antibiotic preparations compared with a conventional therapy in the management of skin and soft tissue infection. In addition, 10 RCTs and 1 cohort study compared different treatments for osteomyelitis in the diabetic foot. Results of comparisons of different antibiotic regimens generally demonstrated that newly introduced antibiotic regimens appeared to be as effective as conventional therapy (and also more cost-effective in one study), but one study failed to demonstrate non-inferiority of a new antibiotic compared with that of a standard agent. Overall, the available literature was both limited in both the number of studies and the quality of their design. Thus, our systematic review revealed little evidence upon which to make recommendations for treatment of DFIs. There is a great need for further well-designed trials that will provide robust data upon which to make decisions about the most appropriate treatment of both skin and soft tissue infection and osteomyelitis in diabetic patients.

Effectiveness of interventions to enhance healing of chronic ulcers of the foot in diabetes: a systematic review.

The outcome of management of diabetic foot ulcers remains a challenge, and there remains continuing uncertainty concerning optimal approaches to management. It is for these reasons that in 2008 and 2012, the International Working Group of the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) working group on wound healing published systematic reviews of the evidence to inform protocols for routine care and to highlight areas, which should be considered for further study. The same working group has now updated this review by considering papers on the interventions to improve the healing of chronic ulcers published between June 2010 and June 2014. Methodological quality of selected studies was independently assessed by two reviewers using Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network criteria. Selected studies fell into the following ten categories: sharp debridement and wound bed preparation with larvae or hydrotherapy; wound bed preparation using antiseptics, applications and dressing products; resection of the chronic wound; oxygen and other gases, compression or negative pressure therapy; products designed to correct aspects of wound biochemistry and cell biology associated with impaired wound healing; application of cells, including platelets and stem cells; bioengineered skin and skin grafts; electrical, electromagnetic, lasers, shockwaves and ultrasound and other systemic therapies, which did not fit in the aforementioned categories. Heterogeneity of studies prevented pooled analysis of results. Of the 2161 papers identified, 30 were selected for grading following full text review. The present report is an update of the earlier IWGDF systematic reviews, and the conclusion is similar: that with the possible exception of negative pressure wound therapy in post-operative wounds, there is little published evidence to justify the use of newer therapies. Analysis of the evidence continues to present difficulties in this field as controlled studies remain few and the majority continue to be of poor methodological quality.