Widespread plaque psoriasis responsive to mycophenolate mofetil.

A woman with a long history of widespread plaque psoriasis unresponsive to and/or intolerant of phototherapy, retinoids, methotrexate and cyclosporin was successfully treated with mycophenolate mofetil. Remission was maintained on doses between 1 and 1.5 g/day for 18 months without adverse effects.

Dermal myiasis in an Australian traveller.

Myiasis, the infestation of body tissues by the larvae of flies, occurs infrequently in Australian tourists who return from areas where certain species are endemic. Some of these insect species such as Cochliomyia hominivorax and Chrysoma bezziana (New and Old World screw-worms respectively) are responsible for significant disease in livestock as well as in humans. We report a patient who travelled extensively through South America and returned to Australia with a subcutaneous nodule containing a large larva of the species Dermatobia hominis. Because of the risk of travellers introducing unwanted species of flies into our country, it is important for doctors to suspect the possibility of furuncular myiasis, and to obtain accurate identification of the larva.

Skin cancer and immunosuppression.

7 (14%) out of 51 kidney-allograft recipients developed a total of 19 malignant skin tumours four to forty-five months after transplantation. Immunosuppressive treatment, known to be associated with an increased risk of development of tumours of lymphoreticular type, also enhances the occurrence of squamous-cell carcinoma. Under the influence of immunosuppression cutaneous hyperkeratoses more rapidly evolve into squamous-cell carcinoma, multiple skin cancers occur in some patients, and keratoacanthoma is not only more frequent but also prone to early recurrence.