Broom stick dermatitis.

Soft plastic handle cover of newly produced broom stick causing contact dermatitis in reported.

The efficacy of low-dose oral corticosteroids in the treatment of vitiligo patient.

Autoimmunity is one of the most probable pathogenesis of vitiligo. Systemic corticosteroids may arrest the progression of vitiligo and lead to repigmentation by suppressing immunity. The clinical efficacy of low-dose oral corticosteroids was assessed to minimize the side-effects in actively spreading vitiligo patients. One hundred (100) patients with vitiligo were evaluated. The patients took daily doses of oral prednisolone (0.3 mg/kg body weight) initially as a single oral dose after breakfast for the first 2 months. The dosage was then reduced to half the initial dose during the 3rd month and was halved again for the 4th and final month. After 4 months of treatment, 76% showed repigmentation while the arrest of progression (both repigmentation and stationary) was noted in 90% of patients. Male sex, and patients under 15 years of age showed pronounced repigmentation with statistical significance. According to this study low-dose oral prednisolone is an effective method in preventing progression and inducing repigmentation of fast-spreading vitiligo without the associated serious side-effects.

Tarantula bite leads to death and gangrene.

Chilobrachys hardwikii-giant black hairy spider bite produced two deaths, one case of gangrene of the foot and urticarial rashes in another person in a remote village of Churulia 30 km from Asansol.

Status of dermatology in the coal Belts of eastern India.

Health survey of 2 major coal mines in Eastern India reveals that skin lesions are very common. Out of usual skin lesions occupational dermatitis tops the list. Health statistics show that dermatological problems are the third major health hazard in mines.

Pedunculated digitate papillomatosis around rectum.

This is a report on unusual case of proliferation of dermal and epidermal components having finger-like projection around rectum with extension towards natal cleft in a patient suffering from Hansen's infection.

Prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in western India.

Nearly 2000 serum samples collected from different risk groups from Pune and Bombay metropolitan areas were tested for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) by Recombinant Immunoblot Assay-3 (RIBA-3). Patients undergoing haemodialysis showed 24.5 per cent seropositivity whereas 5.7 and 5.3 per cent of multiply transfused patients (>2 units) and chronic liver disease patients respectively were anti-HCV positive. Leprosy patients had almost 0.7 per cent seropositivity. In other risk groups the positivity rate was nil. In normal population only one out of 830 persons had anti-HCV antibodies. It is therefore apparent that the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in western India is not high. However, special care needs to be taken for dialysis patients. As none of the 430 pregnant women and 86 children below the age of 5 yr were anti-HCV positive, vertical mode of HCV transmission seems to be negligible.

Cervical spine in psoriasis.

X-rays of the cervical spines from patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis were compared with similar films from a control population. Apophyseal narrowing, sclerosis, and calcification of anterior ligamants were found more commonly in patients than in controls.