[Cutaneous leishmaniosis in Portugal due to Leishmania infantum MON-1]. / Leishmaniose cutânea causada por Leishmania infantum zimodeme MON-1 em Portugal.

Leishmania infantum zymodeme MON-1 was isolated from a skin lesion in a child in Lisboa area (Portugal) who had never travelled abroad. Succefull therapy was achieved by excisional biopsy of the lesion. This is the first evidence that this agent is responsible by cutaneous leishmaniasis in the country.

Burn-induced linear IgA dermatosis.

There have been several reports of linear IgA dermatosis (LAD) associated with drug exposure and lymphoproliferative malignancy, but trauma and burns have been suggested only in patients with bullous pemphigoid. We present a case of burn-induced LAD in a 48-year-old caucasian male presenting with a recent history of blistering eruption on the periphery of a cicatricial area caused by boiling methyl alcohol. Clinically, he presented a widespread bullous eruption. The direct immunofluorescence examination of a perilesional biopsy revealed an intense homogeneous linear pattern of IgA deposition consistent with the diagnosis of LAD. The patient responded to therapy with systemic steroids.

Congenital melanosis and hypertrichosis in bilateral distribution.

We report a 4-year-old Caucasian girl with congenital skin lesions consisting of hyperpigmented macules that were bilateral and roughly symmetrical, covered with terminal hair and located on the scapular regions, shoulders, and arms. A cutaneous biopsy specimen showed the histologic pattern of Becker nevus. We discuss the classification of this case in the context of the published literature.

Electrical conductance: a controversial parameter in the evaluation of emollients in atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Essential fatty acids are important in maintaining skin function and their deficiency is associated with scali-ness and increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This can be one of the pathogenic processes implicated in atopic dermatitis (AD). Several studies have assessed the value of essential fatty acid-enriched diets in AD but the benefits of topical γ-lino-lenic acid (GLA) therapy have been less well evaluated. The aims of this study were: a) to compare the effects of GLA-con-taining emollients and classical emollients, regarding clinical benefits, cutaneous hydration (by a conductance method) and TEWL; b) to assess the clinical relevance of these two biomet-rical methods (conductance and TEWL). METHODS: Twenty-three AD children were randomised into four groups, to compare three emollients containing GLA in different concentrations and one classical emollient. They were evaluated in eight visits for 12 weeks, using a clinical score and measurements of TEWL with the Tewameter™ and of cutaneous hydration with the Nova™. RESULTS: Kruskal-Wallis statistical analysis showed significant differences in cutaneous hydration (P<0.05) between each of the three treatment groups and the control group. TEWL and clinical scores did not show statistically significant differences. During the study no children from the GLA groups developed eczematous lesions versus two children from the non-GLA group. CONCLUSIONS: Discrepancies between conductance and TEWL measurements may represent false positive results of the former method due to electrical phenomena related to polarity of the GLA molecule or of other elements in the formulations. However, some differences in clinical evolution between the GLA and non-GLA groups require further studies to assess the possible additional benefits of topical emollients containing GLA.