Surveillance of influenza in the North-West Region of England 2001-02.

A local sentinel network of general practitioners has been established in the north west of England for the surveillance of influenza. In the 2001-02 winter, consultation rates for influenza-like-illness (ILI) were low but the surveillance network was able to demonstrate sub-regional variations in the timing of peak influenza activity, and the infection of different age groups. This suggests the network can contribute to better planning to winter pressures on the North West health service.

A philosophy for the Skin and Cancer Foundation.

The Skin and Cancer Foundation is now 21 years old in Sydney and 10 years old in Melbourne, and a third is being planned for Brisbane. The achievements of these institutions are quite remarkable but the philosophy on which they were based may not now be applicable. An understanding of this original philosophy may assist future planning. People suffering from skin disease in Australia need help which can only be delivered by a combination of several institutions such as government, hospitals and the Australasian College of Dermatologists (College).

Halo eczema surrounding seborrhoeic keratoses: an example of perilesional nummular dermatitis.

Two patients developed halo eczema around isolated seborrhoeic keratoses and in one individual similar halo eczema developed around the nipples. This phenomenon which was previously described with melanocytic naevi has been associated with a number of different central lesions and can be readily recognised. Both the clinical pattern and histopathology suggest that this phenomenon may represent a localised form of nummular dermatitis with a predilection for elevated lesions.

Photochemotherapy in psoriasis: the first six months in Australia.

The results of the first six months of treatment of psoriasis with photochemotherapy in the Skin and Cancer Foundation's clinic resulted in 30 out of 53 patients being completely clear of psoriasis lesions, 14 showing progressive improvement (and subsequently clearing), four failures, and five withdrawals. The treatment is not a cure, and requires maintenance therapy. It involves the use of large expensive machines to deliver ultraviolet light, and demands careful supervision and control dosimetry.

Protection of the eyes against damage by light activated psoralen.

It is current practice to order eye protection while patients are under treatment with psoralen. There is considerable variation in the protection against long wave light provided by different sunglasses, therefore, it is necessary to write a specific prescription for sunglasses for these patients. We have found Noir Model 102 or 109 with side flaps or the Rayban dark green glass to be the most effective.

Dermatology in hospital practice.

Modern hospital facilities have proved of great value in the management of the more difficult problems presenting to dermatologists. In a series of 100 consecutive patients admitted to hospital, four died, at least one out of every three was found to have undiagnosed internal disease and the average time to gain a remission was three weeks after outpatient treatment had proved unsuccessful over an average of six months.