Managing recurrent genital herpes with acyclovir.

Seventy five patients of recurrent genital herpes (RGH) treated with oral or topical acyclovir and placebo were compared and followed for periods ranging 4 to 8 years in a prospective study. Oral acyclovir definitely helps RGH patients; it shortens healing time; postpones recurrences and instills confidence in the patients. There is sufficient evidence that RGH dies a natural death with time as seen after 8 years follow up in placebo group patients. Topical use of acyclovir cream is not as useful as believed.

Clinical profile of psoriasis in North India.

A prospective study of 530 patients of psoriasis drawn from northern parts of India revealed a male preponderance; 60% patients having onset before the age of 30 years; youngest age at onset being one week and the oldest 72 years. Family history was positive in 14% cases. Only 30% psoriatics showed clear cut worsening in winter months. Skin and scalp were the commonest sites; 54% had nail changes when first seen and in 8 patients involvement of nails was the only manifestation of psoriasis. Joint symptoms were present in 10% of cases but frank arthritis was seen in only 7 cases. The presence of joint affection was invariably associated with nail abnormalities. Psoriatic arthritis among the Indian patients is not only rare but shows a milder course as compared to the western countries.

Histopathologic study of clinically normal appearing skin in lepromatous leprosy.

Skin biopsies from clinically normal skin of the scalp, axillary and groin regions in 20 lepromatous leprosy patients revealed significant histopathological findings in upto 25 percent of the patients. The positive findings could, perhaps, be enhanced by studying larger skin materials from these body areas. Indeed, no skin area appears to be immune from invasion by Myco. leprae.

Hemodialysis in Psoriasis.

Hemodialysis has proved to be a welcome addition to the various already known therapeutic modalities in the treatment of psoriasis. The procedure was attempted in 12 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis recalcitrant to conventional treatment There was a dramatic improvements in IO ofthe 12 patients.,The lesions started clearing as early as 2-4 days following first hemodialysis and most patients required 3-4 hemodialysis to be free of lesions. The remission could be maintained for as long as 9 months after the last dialysis. The possible mechanism of induction of remission due to hemodialysis is discussed.

Psoriasis in Children.

A prospective study of childhood psoriasis revealed an overall prevalence of 0. I% among the general skin diseases outpatients; 8.5 % of the Indian psoriatics having onset of their disease during childhood. The peak age of onset was between 4 and 8 years and the mean age of onset in the males was lower than the females by approximately 2 years. Family history was positive in 12.5%. Plaque variety was the commonest and guttate lesions were observed in only 25% of the cases, Itching was a promin ' ent feature of guttate lesions which were observed to be preceded in 50% of the patients by throat infection. The commonest sites were the legs, arms and the trunk. The face was involved more often than the scalp, the commonest site of affection in the adults. Nails were involved in more than 60% of the cases. The therapeutic response to coal tar treatment was satisfactory and the guttatc lesions responded well to treatmentwith penicillin. The pustularand erythrodermic varieties and psoriatic arthritis were rare in the paediatric patients.

Nocardia Mycetoma At Unusual Site.

A case of nocardial mycetoma is presented occurring at upper back. Clinical and laboratory studies established the diagnosis. Excellent therapeutic response was obtained with sulphadiazine alone within five months of therapy.

Fatal proliferative glomerulonephritis in lepromatous leprosy.

A patient of lepromatous leprosy with recurrent erythema nodosum leprosum developing acute renal failure proving fatal within 8 weeks is reported. The renal lesion demonstrated acute proliferative glomerulonephritis. Its pathogenesis in relation to ENL is discussed.

Fatal proliferative glomerulonephritis in lepromatous leprosy

A patient of lepromatous leprosy with recurrent erythema nodosum leprosum developing acute renal failure proving fatal within 8 weeks is reported. The renal lesion demonstrated acute proliferative glomerulonephritis. Its pathogenesis in relation to ENL is discussed.