Allergic Stomatitis From Orthodontic Adhesives.

We report a case of a type IV hypersensitivity reaction causing oral stomatitis, presumed to be the result of common dental adhesives. The case was diagnosed using patch testing to the dental adhesives that were used in the patient. Both of the adhesives tested contained a form of acrylate that is being seen more frequently in the literature as a cause of type IV hypersensitivity reactions. Metals can cause allergic reactions; however, other contact items need to be considered as a cause of oral allergic reactions. Cases of allergic stomatitis are rising and there is question if all-in-one adhesives may be contributing to this rise.

Fatal Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis from Exposure to Fusarium vasinfectum in a Home Environment: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is a rare, non-IgE-mediated inflammatory lung disease caused by inhalational exposure to various antigens found in occupational, avocational and home environments. The prognosis is favorable with early detection and prompt removal of the causative agent, and fatalities are unusual. We present a fatal case of HP caused by chronic exposure to Fusarium vasinfectum mold in the home. CASE REPORT: A 37-year-old white male presented with a 6-month history of progressively worsening dyspnea, cough, weight loss and fatigue associated with the self-renovation of his water-damaged, mold-infested mobile home. Evaluation included a physical examination (hypoxia, inspiratory crackles and expiratory rhonchi), baseline pulmonary function testing (mixed obstructive/restrictive pattern), chest computed tomography (bronchiectasis, fibrosis and diffuse interstitial involvement), bronchoalveolar lavage (macrophages 20%, lymphocytes 28% and neutrophils 52%) and transbronchial biopsy (interstitial fibrosis and chronic inflammatory infiltrate). Mold culture from the home grew out F. vasinfectum. An Ouchterlony double diffusion technique documented high antibody titer to F. vasinfectum. Despite aggressive intravenous corticosteroid treatment, the patient's lung function declined to the extent that he could not be removed from ventilator support following an open lung biopsy, eventually resulting in death. CONCLUSION: This is the first reported case of fatal HP related to an acute exacerbation of a chronic form of HP following continuous and intense exposure to F. vasinfectum. Although uncommon, a high index of suspicion for HP is necessary in patients with progressive respiratory symptoms and known environmental antigen exposure. With early detection and prompt removal of the causative antigen, HP prognosis is generally favorable, but can progress to fatal disease with continued exposure.

Diagnosis and management of immediate hypersensitivity reactions to cephalosporins.

Cephalosporins are one of the most commonly prescribed classes of antibiotics. Immediate IgE-mediated hypersensitivity reactions have been reported with use of a specific cephalosporin, as a cross-reaction between different cephalosporins or as a cross-reaction to other ß-lactam antibiotics, namely, penicillin. Historically, frequent reports of anaphylaxis following administration of first- and second-generation cephalosporins to patients with a history of penicillin allergy led to the belief of a high degree of allergic cross-reactivity. More recent evidence reveals a significantly lower risk of cross-reactivity between penicillins and the newer-generation cephalosporins. The current thought is that a shared side chain, rather than the ß-lactam ring structure, is the determining factor in immunologic cross-reactivity. Understanding the chemical structure of these agents has allowed us to identify the allergenic determinants for penicillin; however, the exact allergenic determinants of cephalosporins are less well understood. For this reason, standardized diagnostic skin testing is not available for cephalosporins as it is for penicillin. Nevertheless, skin testing to the cephalosporin in question, using a nonirritating concentration, provides additional information, which can further guide the work-up of a patient suspected of having an allergy to that drug. Together, the history and the skin test results can assist the allergist in the decision to recommend continued drug avoidance or to perform a graded challenge versus an induction of tolerance procedure.

Cutaneous gonococcal abscess of the abdomen in a child.

Virtually all pediatric cases of Neisseria gonorrhoeae originate from contact with an infected adult. A cutaneous abscess caused by N. gonorrhoeae in a child is extremely rare, especially outside the genital area. We report a case of a 22-month-old boy with a gonococcal cutaneous abscess on the abdominal wall and suggest that N. gonorrhoeae should be included in the differential diagnosis of skin and soft tissue infections in children.