Usefulness of Non-Skin Samples in the PCR Diagnosis of Mpox (Monkeypox).

Cases of mpox have been reported in several European countries, including Spain. Our objective was to evaluate the usefulness of serum and nasopharyngeal samples for diagnosis of mpox. The presence of MPXV DNA was studied using real-time PCR (CerTest Biotec, Zaragoza, Spain) in 106 samples from 50 patients: 32 skin, 31 anogenital, 25 sera, and 18 nasopharyngeal/pharyngeal, in the Hospital Clínico Universitario of Zaragoza (Spain). Sixty-three samples from twenty-seven patients were MPXV PCR-positive. The real-time PCR Ct values in the anogenital and skin samples were lower than serum and nasopharyngeal samples. More than 90% of anogenital (95.7%), serum (94.4%), and skin (92.9%) samples were real-time PCR-positive. Eighteen (66.7%) of the twenty-seven patients who were MPXV PCR-positive had antecedents or presented with one to three sexually transmitted infection (STI) agents. Our results indicate that the use of serum samples can help facilitate the diagnosis of MPXV infections.

SUFU-associated Gorlin syndrome: Expanding the spectrum between classic nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome and multiple hereditary infundibulocystic basal cell carcinoma.

Basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS), also known as Gorlin syndrome, is characterized by an aberrant activation of the hedgehog (Hh) pathway, most cases being caused by PTCH1 mutations. However, certain features such as multiple hereditary infundibulocystic basal cell carcinomas (MHIBCC), sclerotic fibromas, childhood medulloblastoma or meningioma may be relatively specific to a SUFU mutation. We present two patients with MHIBCC, along with a more complex cutaneous and extracutaneous phenotype. MHIBCC syndrome and BCNS may share clinical features and, indeed, both syndromes probably represent different degrees of upregulation in the Hh pathway.

Dermoscopy of inflamed seborrheic keratosis: A great mimic of malignancy.

BACKGROUND: Clinical and dermoscopic recognition of seborrheic keratoses (SKs) is often straightforward, and biopsy might not be required. However, inflamed SKs (iSKs) can pose a diagnostic challenge. Dermoscopic features of iSKs have not yet been evaluated to date. OBJECTIVES: To assess the diagnostic ability of a group of dermatologists to diagnose iSKs by dermoscopy. To evaluate the dermoscopic findings of a long series of inflamed seborrheic keratoses. METHODS: Clinical and dermoscopic images of 100 difficult-to-diagnose skin tumours, including 29 iSKs, were presented to 33 clinicians (24 dermatologists and 9 dermatology residents), who were blinded to the diagnosis. The dermoscopic features of a series of 219 iSKs were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS: iSKs were correctly identified in a 37.6% of cases. Classic dermoscopic criteria were present in only 47% of iSKs. The most frequent dermoscopic feature in iSKs was the presence of vascularization (91.3%), but only a 44.5% showed predominance of hairpin vessels. A bluish hue was observed in 18.3% of lesions. Seven dermoscopic patterns were identified, based on the dermoscopic similarity to other tumours: seborrheic keratosis-like (28.8%); squamous cell carcinoma-like (25.6%); melanoma-like (17.8%); keratoacanthoma-like (6.8%); basal cell carcinoma-like (5.9%); verruca vulgaris-like (5.9%); nevus-like (2.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of iSKs can be challenging even with dermoscopy. They may behave as authentic mimics of other cutaneous tumours, including squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma. For this reason, histopathological examination should be mandatory in these cases.

Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Presenting With Disfiguring Acneiform Plaques: A Diagnostic Challenge.

ABSTRACT: Hypertrophic and acneiform forms are very rare variants of discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), which can suppose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. We present a South American woman with facial disfiguring lesions of 7 years of evolution with clinical and histopathological characteristic of both hypertrophic and acneiform DLE. No criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus were present in the patient. To the best of our knowledge, no patients with concomitant hypertrophic and acneiform DLE have been previously reported in the literature.

Large Cells With CD30 Expression and Hodgkin-like Features in Primary Cutaneous Marginal Zone B-Cell Lymphoma: A Study of 13 Cases.

The presence of CD30 cells in cutaneous lymphomas has come to prominence in recent years as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic marker. In primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphomas, the presence of large CD30 cells with Hodgkin-like features and their significance have not yet been studied. Here we describe the main clinical, histologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular characteristics of 13 cases of primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphomas featuring >10% of CD30 large cells, and analyze their relationship with histologic and clinical progression of the disease and with other morphologic and immunophenotypic features. We report 10 male and 3 female patients, 4 with early-local disease and 8 with locoregional advanced disease without extracutaneous involvement but with a high relapse rate of 69%. We describe an association between a high level of CD30 expression and disease progression, with increased clinical recurrence in cases with >15% of CD30 cells. We also discuss the differential diagnosis with other cutaneous and systemic lymphomas, especially Hodgkin lymphoma.

CD30-positive primary cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorders: molecular alterations and targeted therapies.

Primary cutaneous CD30-positive T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders are the second most common subgroup of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. They include two clinically different entities with some overlapping features and borderline cases: lymphomatoid papulosis and primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Molecular studies of primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma reveal an increasing level of heterogeneity that is associated with histological and immunophenotypic features of the cases and their response to specific therapies. Here, we review the most significant genetic, epigenetic and molecular alterations described to date in primary cutaneous CD30-positive T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, and their potential as therapeutic targets.

The Spectrum of EBV-Positive Mucocutaneous Ulcer: A Study of 9 Cases.

We describe a series of 9 patients with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive mucocutaneous lymphoproliferative lesions that broadens the concept of EBV-positive mucocutaneous ulcer. We report 5 female and 4 male patients, with an average age of 74 years (range, 55 to 87 y), 2 of whom were HIV-positive. The lesions were located in the oropharynx, skin, and rectal and/or genital mucosa. Histopathologically, 6 cases showed a polymorphic pattern and 3 had a monomorphic and diffuse one, with angiotropism in 4 cases (2 each with the polymorphic and monomorphic patterns). Three of the cases expressed PDL1. In addition to its presence in the neoplastic lymphoid cells, EBV was also detected in adjacent epithelial cells in an oropharyngeal lesion. All cases responded to local therapy or adapted systemic chemotherapy in selected cases. This series extends the spectrum of this disorder to include some HIV-positive cases, patients with multiple lesions confined to a single anatomic area, lesions with an angiocentric pattern, and some cases with monomorphous large-cell cytology. We discuss the differential clinicopathologic diagnosis of this disorder and that of classic EBV large B-cell lymphoma.

Dermoscopic rosettes as a clue for atypical molluscum contagiosum / Rosetas dermatoscópicas como pista para el molusco contagioso atípico

El molusco contagioso (MC) es una infección viral frecuente, generalmente fácil de diagnosticar gracias a sus manifestaciones clínicas características. Sin embargo, las presentaciones clínicas atípicas pueden suponer un desafío diagnóstico. La dermatoscopia ha ayudado en estos casos complejos, al mostrar un patrón dermatoscópico característico compuesto por un poro central o umbilicación junto con estructuras amorfas polilobulares de color blanco a amarillo, rodeadas de vasos lineales o ramificados ('vasos en corona"). Sin embargo, se pueden encontrar patrones dermatoscópicos adicionales. Presentamos dos casos de MC donde se observaron rosetas en la dermatoscopia.

Molluscum contagiosum (MC), a frequent viral infection, is generally easy to diagnose because of its characteristic clinical features. However, atypical presentations can be a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. Dermoscopy has helped in this cases by showing a characteristic dermoscopic pattern composed of a central pore or umbilication in conjunction with polylobular white to yellow amorphous structures, surrounded by linear or branched vessels ('red crown"). However, additional dermoscopic patterns can be found. Herein we present two MC cases where rosettes were seen on dermoscopy

Squamous cell carcinomas of the skin explore angiogenesis-independent mechanisms of tumour vascularization.

Aims. To evaluate the vascularization in basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the skin. Methods. We performed CD31 (i.e., panendothelial marker) and CD105 (i.e., proliferating endothelium marker) immunostaining on samples of 70 SCCs and 70 BCCs of the skin. We evaluated the relative blood vessel area using the Chalkley counting method in each histologic subtype of these tumours. We calculated the degree of proliferation of blood vessel endothelium dividing CD105-Chalkley score by CD31-Chalkley score. Results. We found significantly higher peritumoral and intratumoral blood vessel area in SCC when compared to BCC (both with CD31 and CD105). Chalkley counts differed significantly between groups with different BCC histologic subtypes and SCC with different grade of differentiation. Surprisingly, the degree of proliferation of blood vessel endothelium was higher in BCC when compared to SCC. Conclusions. While SCC exhibited significantly higher intratumoral and peritumoral blood vessel areas compared to BCC, the relatively low rate of proliferating endothelium in this tumour type suggests the existence of endothelial-sprouting-independent mechanisms of vascularization in SCC.

Mucormicosis rinocerebral fulminante / Fulminant rhinocerebral mucormycosis

Se presenta el caso de un varón de 53 años con mucormicosis rinocerebral que progresó rápidamente, ocasionando una gran placa necrótica centrofacial y la muerte del paciente a pesar de la rápida instauración de anfotericina B por vía intravenosa. El paciente tenía numerosos factores predisponentes para contraer la enfermedad, pues era un paciente desnutrido, que había sido tratado, 2 meses antes, con quimioterapia por un cáncer de laringe, presentaba pancitopenia y estaba siendo tratado, por una neumonía, con antibióticos de amplio espectro. Los numerosos factores predisponentes pudieron ser la causa del curso fulminante de la mucormicosis (AU)

Isolation of Malassezia globosa and M. sympodialis from patients with pityriasis versicolor in Spain.

Pityriasis versicolor is a superficial infection of the stratum corneum by several yeast species formerly collectively named Malasseziafurfur. The genus Malassezia has been recently enlarged with new species. With the exception of M. pachydermatis, the remaining six species have an absolute requirement in vitro for supplementation of long-chain fatty acids in media. These lipophilic yeasts comprise six species: M. furfur, M. globosa, M. obtusa, M. restricta, M. slooffiae and M. sympodialis. The aim of this study was to establish whether there was any association between the various species of Malassezia and pityriasis versicolor lesions. Thus, we studied the isolates from 79 patients with pityriasis versicolor, both from lesions and from apparently healthy skin close to the visible lesions. In pityriasis versicolor lesions, the species most frequently isolated was M. globosa (90%), followed by M. sympodialis (41%). Almost all isolates (99%) belonged to one of these two species. The most frequent pattern was M. globosa as the sole species (58% of cases), although the association with M. sympodialis was also frequent (30%). These results confirmed M. globosa as the main agent of pityriasis versicolor and M. sympodialis as the second agent in importance. Malassezia globosa was found to be a species with high levels of esterase and lipase enzymes of probable importance in their pathogenicity.

Foliculitis postdepilación por mycobacterium chelonae / Postdepilation folliculitis due to mycobacterium chelonae

Mycobacterium chelonae es una micobacteria atípica, no productora de pigmento, perteneciente al grupo IV de la clasificación de Runyon. En pacientes inmunocompetentes suele producir lesiones aisladas y localizadas, con antecedente traumático; sin embargo, en pacientes inmunodeprimidos suele producir lesiones múltiples. Presentamos el caso de una infección por Mycobacterium chelonae en una mujer inmunocompetente de 32 años que desarrolló lesiones nodulares múltiples en extremidades inferiores, simulando los casos de diseminación hematógena en inmunodeprimidos. El único antecedente relacionado fue la depilación con cera. La foliculitis por M. chelonae debe incluirse en el diagnóstico diferencial de las foliculitis postdepilación, ya que la sospecha diagnóstica hace posible una terapéutica precoz y eficaz que impedirá la aparición de cicatrices importantes (AU)

Seudoporfiria inducida por diclofenaco / Pseudoporphyria induced by diclofenac

La seudoporfiria es una dermatosis ampollosa clínica e histológicamente similar a la porfiria cutánea tarda, pero con niveles normales de porfirinas. La mayor parte de la bibliografía referida a la seudoporfiria medicamentosa ha implicado la utilización de los AINE. Presentamos el primer caso de seudoporfiria relacionada con diclofenaco en una mujer de 57 años con poliartritis reumática seronegativa que a los 3 meses de comenzar tratamiento con diclofenaco presentó vesículas y ampollas en el dorso de ambas manos. La retirada del fármaco mejoró el cuadro y la reintroducción desencadenó un nuevo brote que cesó al suprimirlo (AU)

Infección cutánea esporotricoide por Mycobacterium chelonae en paciente inmunocompetente / Sporotrichoid cutaneous infection due to Mycrobacterium chelonae in a immunocompent patient

Una mujer de 58 años consultó por múltiples lesiones cutáneas en su pierna derecha en un patrón lineal ascendente (diseminación esporotricoide) hacia la rodilla. En el cultivo de la biopsia realizada se aisló Mycobacterium chelonae. No existía ninguna situación de inmunodepresión en la paciente. La anamnesis reveló la existencia de un traumatismo en esa pierna con una hamaca de playa 1 año antes (AU)