[Benign skin tumours].

Benign skin tumours are commonly seen by general practitioners. They are important to differentiate from skin malignancies. Most benign skin lesions are diagnosed based on the history and clinical features. However, if the clinical diagnosis is uncertain, a skin biopsy, e.g. excisional or punch for histopathological examination is necessary to rule out malignancy. Seborrheic keratoses are the most common benign skin tumours with an increasing incidence with age. Other common benign skin lesions include melanocytic naevi, acrochordons and dermatofibromas, which may resemble malignant neoplasms.

Resection and reconstruction of idiopathic scrotal elephantiasis: surgical approach and quality of life assessment.

Scrotal elephantiasis (SE) is a condition considered rare in western industrialised countries but common in filaria prone regions. If no apparent causes are found for SE, it is called idiopathic SE. Medical and conservative therapies are ineffective against idiopathic SE, and surgical intervention is mandatory to treat this disabling condition. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether surgical intervention improves quality of life among patients with idiopathic SE. Herein, we report a case of a 41-year-old man who underwent acute scrotal resection and reconstruction, secondary to haemorrhage from his idiopathic SE. The aim of this study was to describe the operative approach and assess patient satisfaction after surgical treatment. The patient had no recurrence of SE after surgical treatment at 6 months follow-up and had considerable improvements assessed by general and disease-specific quality of life questionnaires.

[Immunosuppressive therapy and post-operative wound healing].

Patients in immunosuppressive treatment may have increased risk of post-operative infections and wound-healing complications. Perioperative management of immunosuppressive treatment is challenging due to the variety of medications and differences in surgical procedures across surgical specialities. This review examines the literature regarding the effect of immunosuppressive treatment on post-operative infections and wound-healing complications.

Would you like to purchase a rodent with dermatophytes?

The zoophilic dermatophyte Trichophyton benhamiae has received attention due to increasing infections in human in recent years. Trichophyton benhamiae has been found on asymptomatic rodents from pet shops in several countries posing a potential risk for transmission to humans. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of positive dermatophyte cultures from rodents in Danish pet shops in order to clarify the magnitude of potential sources of zoophilic infections and to prevent further spread. Specimen sampling was performed in 17 Danish pet shops using the brush technique (MacKenzie technique). After incubation, cultures were sent to ITS DNA sequencing for molecular species identification. Pet shop employees were asked to fulfil a five-question survey regarding purchase and procedures of diseased animals. A total of 98 animals were sampled (N = 32 rabbits, N = 32 guinea pigs and N = 34 hamsters). Trichophyton benhamiae was found in 14/98 samples (14%); 12/32 guinea pigs (38%) were positive with T benhamiae, 2/34 (6%) hamsters and 0/32 rabbits (0%). We found that hamsters and particularly guinea pigs from Danish pet shops are common asymptomatic carriers of the dermatophyte T benhamiae. Although a larger study is warranted to test this postulate, and it raises the question if infection control measures should be implemented in pet shops.