HIV and skin infections.

HIV infection alters the skin microbiome and predisposes to a wide range of cutaneous infections, from atypical presentations of common skin infections to severe disseminated infections involving the skin that are AIDS-defining illnesses. Bacterial infection of the skin, most commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, occurs frequently and can result in bacteremia. Nontuberculous mycobacterial infections that are usually localized to the skin may disseminate, and guidance on the treatment of these infections is limited. Herpes simplex can be severe, and less common presentations such as herpetic sycosis and herpes vegetans have been reported. Severe herpes zoster, including disseminated infection, requires intravenous antiviral treatment. Viral warts can be particularly difficult to treat, and in atypical or treatment-resistant cases a biopsy should be considered. Superficial candidosis occurs very commonly in people living with HIV, and antifungal resistance is an increasing problem in non-albicans Candida species. Systemic infections carry a poor prognosis. In tropical settings the endemic mycoses including histoplasmosis are a problem for people living with HIV, and opportunistic infections can affect those with advanced HIV in all parts of the world. Most cutaneous infections can develop or worsen as a result of immune reconstitution in the weeks to months after starting antiretroviral therapy. Direct microscopic examination of clinical material can facilitate rapid diagnosis and treatment initiation, although culture is important to provide microbiological confirmation and guide treatment.

Enfermedades infecciosas no venéreas atendidas en consultas de Dermatología en España: resultados del estudio DIADERM / Nonvenereal Infections in Spanish Dermatology Clinics: Results of the DIADERM Study

Antecedentes y objetivo El peso e impacto de las enfermedades infecciosas no venéreas en Dermatología no ha sido evaluado hasta el momento en nuestro medio. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar su prevalencia global en el ámbito de la asistencia ambulatoria dermatológica. Material y métodos Estudio observacional de corte transversal de los diagnósticos realizados en consultas de Dermatología por una muestra aleatoria de dermatólogos de la Academia Española de Dermatología y Venereología (AEDV). Los datos fueron obtenidos a partir de la encuesta anónima DIADERM. Se seleccionaron los diagnósticos correspondientes a enfermedades infecciosas, codificados mediante el sistema CIE-10. Se excluyeron las infecciones de transmisión sexual y los diagnósticos restantes se clasificaron en 22 grupos diagnósticos. Resultados Se estimó que los dermatólogos españoles hacen 16.190 diagnósticos de patología infecciosa no venérea en una semana laboral (IC 95%, 9.338-23.042), lo que representaba el 9,33% del total de las consultas dermatológicas. Las verrugas víricas fuera de la región anogenital (7.475, 46,17% de las infecciones), las dermatofitosis (3.336, 20,61% de las infecciones) y «otras infecciones víricas», donde se incluía la infección por Molluscum contagiosum (1.592, 9,84%), fueron los diagnósticos más frecuentes. En la comparativa frente a la patología no infecciosa, las infecciones cutáneas fueron más frecuentes en el ámbito de las consultas privadas (p<0,0020) y en los pacientes adultos (p<0,00001). Los pacientes con infecciones cutáneas recibieron el alta con mayor frecuencia que los pacientes con otras patologías, tanto en el sistema público (p<0,0004) como en el privado (p<0,0002) (AU)

Background and objective The burden of nonvenereal infections in Spanish dermatology practice has not yet been evaluated. The aim of this study was to analyze the overall weight of these infections in outpatient dermatology caseloads.Material and methods Observational cross-sectional study of diagnoses made by a random selection of dermatologists from the Spanish Association of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) working in outpatient dermatology clinics. The data were obtained through the anonymous DIADERM survey. Diagnoses of infectious diseases were selected using codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision. After excluding sexually transmitted infections, the diagnoses were classified into 22 groups. Results Spanish dermatologists diagnosed an estimated 16190 (95% CI, 9338-23042) nonvenereal infections on average per week, a figure that accounted for 9.33% of the dermatology caseload. The most common diagnostic groups were nonanogenital viral warts (7475 diagnoses, 46.17% of nonvenereal infections), dermatophytosis (3336, 20.61%), and other viral infections (1592, 9.84%), which included Molluscum contagiosum infections. Nonvenereal infections were more common than noninfectious dermatologic conditions in private clinics (P<.0020) and adults (P<.00001). Patients with these infections were also more likely to be discharged than those with other conditions in both public (P<.0004) and private (P<.0002) practices. Conclusions Nonvenereal infections are frequent in dermatology. They are the third most common reason for outpatient visits, behind actinic keratosis and nonmelanoma skin cancer. By enhancing the participation of dermatologists in the management of skin infections and encouraging interactions with other specialists, we will be able to carve out a niche in an area we have scarcely ventured into to date (AU)

[Translated article] Nonvenereal Infections in Spanish Dermatology Clinics: Results of the DIADERM Study / Enfermedades infecciosas no venéreas atendidas en consultas de dermatología en España: resultados del estudio DIADERM

Background and objective The burden of nonvenereal infections in Spanish dermatology practice has not yet been evaluated. The aim of this study was to analyze the overall weight of these infections in outpatient dermatology caseloads.Material and methods Observational cross-sectional study of diagnoses made by a random selection of dermatologists from the Spanish Association of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) working in outpatient dermatology clinics. The data were obtained through the anonymous DIADERM survey. Diagnoses of infectious diseases were selected using codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision. After excluding sexually transmitted infections, the diagnoses were classified into 22 groups. Results Spanish dermatologists diagnosed an estimated 16190 (95% CI, 9338-23042) nonvenereal infections on average per week, a figure that accounted for 9.33% of the dermatology caseload. The most common diagnostic groups were nonanogenital viral warts (7475 diagnoses, 46.17% of nonvenereal infections), dermatophytosis (3336, 20.61%), and other viral infections (1592, 9.84%), which included Molluscum contagiosum infections. Nonvenereal infections were more common than noninfectious dermatologic conditions in private clinics (P<.0020) and adults (P<.00001). Patients with these infections were also more likely to be discharged than those with other conditions in both public (P<.0004) and private (P<.0002) practices. Conclusions Nonvenereal infections are frequent in dermatology. They are the third most common reason for outpatient visits, behind actinic keratosis and nonmelanoma skin cancer. By enhancing the participation of dermatologists in the management of skin infections and encouraging interactions with other specialists, we will be able to carve out a niche in an area we have scarcely ventured into to date (AU)

Antecedentes y objetivo El peso e impacto de las enfermedades infecciosas no venéreas en Dermatología no ha sido evaluado hasta el momento en nuestro medio. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar su prevalencia global en el ámbito de la asistencia ambulatoria dermatológica. Material y métodos Estudio observacional de corte transversal de los diagnósticos realizados en consultas de Dermatología por una muestra aleatoria de dermatólogos de la Academia Española de Dermatología y Venereología (AEDV). Los datos fueron obtenidos a partir de la encuesta anónima DIADERM. Se seleccionaron los diagnósticos correspondientes a enfermedades infecciosas, codificados mediante el sistema CIE-10. Se excluyeron las infecciones de transmisión sexual y los diagnósticos restantes se clasificaron en 22 grupos diagnósticos. Resultados Se estimó que los dermatólogos españoles hacen 16.190 diagnósticos de patología infecciosa no venérea en una semana laboral (IC 95%, 9.338-23.042), lo que representaba el 9,33% del total de las consultas dermatológicas. Las verrugas víricas fuera de la región anogenital (7.475, 46,17% de las infecciones), las dermatofitosis (3.336, 20,61% de las infecciones) y «otras infecciones víricas», donde se incluía la infección por Molluscum contagiosum (1.592, 9,84%), fueron los diagnósticos más frecuentes. En la comparativa frente a la patología no infecciosa, las infecciones cutáneas fueron más frecuentes en el ámbito de las consultas privadas (p<0,0020) y en los pacientes adultos (p<0,00001). Los pacientes con infecciones cutáneas recibieron el alta con mayor frecuencia que los pacientes con otras patologías, tanto en el sistema público (p<0,0004) como en el privado (p<0,0002) (AU)

Cutaneous protothecosis in a dog successfully treated with oral itraconazole in pulse dosing.

BACKGROUND: Protothecosis is a rare infectious disease caused by unicellular, achlorophyllous, microalgae of the genus Prototheca, ubiquitously distributed in nature. The algae are emerging pathogens, whose incidence is increasing in both human and animal populations and serious systemic infections related to this pathogen have been increasingly described in humans in recent years. After mastitis in dairy cows, canine protothecosis is the second most prevalent form of the protothecal disease in animals. Here, we report the first case of chronic cutaneous protothecosis due to P. wickerhamii in a dog in Brazil, successfully treated with a long-term therapy with itraconazole in pulse. CASE PRESENTATION: Upon clinical examination, exudative nasolabial plaque, ulcered, and painful lesions in central and digital pads and lymphadenitis were observed in a 2-year-old mixed-breed dog, with a 4-month history of cutaneous lesions and contact with sewage water. Histopathological examination revealed intense inflammatory reaction, with numerous spherical to oval, encapsulated structures stained with Periodic Acid Schiff, compatible with Prototheca morphology. Tissue culture on Sabouraud agar revealed yeast-like, greyish-white colonies after 48 h of incubation. The isolate was subjected to mass spectrometry profiling and PCR-sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (CYTB) gene marker, leading to identification of the pathogen as P. wickerhamii. The dog was initially treated with oral itraconazole at a dosage of 10 mg/kg once daily. After six months, the lesions resolved completely, yet recurred shortly after cessation of therapy. The dog was then treated with terbinafine at a dose of 30 mg/kg, once daily for 3 months, with no success. The resolution of clinical signs, with no recurrence over a 36-months follow-up period, was achieved after 3 months of treatment with itraconazole (20 mg/kg) in pulse intermittently on two consecutive days a week. CONCLUSIONS: This report highlights the refractoriness of skin infections by Prototheca wickerhamii with therapies proposed in the literature and suggests a new treatment option with oral itraconazole in pulse dosing for long-term disease control successfully performed in a dog with skin lesions.

How to manage skin and soft-tissue infections in the emergency department.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Our purpose is to review the state-of-the-art on the management of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) in emergency departments (ED).Although the information is scarce, SSTI may account for 3-30% of all cases presenting to an ED, of which 25-40% require hospital admission.SSTI include very different entities in aetiology, location, pathogenesis, extension, and severity. Therefore, no single management can be applied to them all. A simple approach is to classify them as non-purulent, purulent, and necrotising, to which a severity scale based on their systemic repercussions (mild, moderate, and severe) must be added.The initial approach to many SSTIs often requires no other means than anamnesis and physical examination, but imaging tests are an indispensable complement in many other circumstances (ultrasound, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging…). In our opinion, an attempt at etiological filiation should be made in severe cases or where there is suspicion of a causality other than the usual one, with tests based not only on cultures of the local lesion but also molecular tests and blood cultures. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent contributions of interest include the value of bedside ultrasound and the potential usefulness of biomarkers such as thrombomodulin to differentiate in early stages the presence of necrotising lesions not yet explicit.New antimicrobials will allow the treatment of many of these infections, including severe ones, with oral drugs with good bioavailability and for shorter periods. SUMMARY: The ED has an essential role in managing SSTIs, in their classification, in decisions on when and where to administer antimicrobial treatment, and in the rapid convening of multidisciplinary teams that can deal with the most complex situations.

More Than Skin Deep: Dermatologic Conditions in Athletes.

CONTEXT: Athletes are a unique group of patients whose activities, particularly in high-contact sports such as wrestling and football, place them at high risk of developing skin conditions. The correct diagnosis of sports dermatoses requires familiarity with their clinical characteristics. It is critical that primary care physicians recognize the most common skin disorders to provide prompt treatment and prevent transmission. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: The Mayo Clinic library obtained articles from 2012 onward related to dermatologic conditions in athletes. STUDY DESIGN: Review article. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3. RESULTS: Dermatologic diseases in athletes are often infectious and contagious due to close-contact sports environments. Sports-related dermatoses include bacterial infections, such as impetigo, ecthyma, folliculitis, abscesses, furuncles, carbuncles, erysipelas, and cellulitis; fungal infections, such as tinea and intertrigo; viral infections, such as herpes, verrucae, and molluscum contagiosum; and noninfectious conditions, such as acne, blisters, and contact dermatitis. CONCLUSION: This article aims to address the manifestations of the most common cutaneous diseases in athletes on the first primary care visit. It discusses the appropriate tests and most recent evidence-based treatments for each ailment. It also addresses return-to-play recommendations related to the guidelines and regulations of selected sports organizations in the United States. STRENGTH OF RECOMMENDATION TAXONOMY (SORT): C.

Diagnosis and treatment of surgical skin and soft tissue infections - current status.

Surgical skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) result from microbial invasion of the skin and underlying soft tissues, often requiring surgical treatment. SSTIs encompass a variety of pathological conditions, ranging from frequent simple superficial skin infections with very good outcomes to rare, rapidly progressive necrotizing infections associated with long-lasting morbidity and high mortality. The document summarizes current knowledge of the diagnosis and therapy of these diseases and provides clinicians with current standards of care of these patients based on international guidelines. Additionally, regional specific aspects are also reflected, and thus in all cases, this paper on diagnostic-therapeutic management of individual clinical forms respects the actual clinical practice and epidemiology in the Czech Republic. The document has been prepared based on multidisciplinary consensus of experts from universities all over the Czech Republic.

[Distribution of dermatoses encountered in children seen in Dermatological Consultations in Lomé (Togo)]. / Distribution des dermatoses rencontrées chez les enfants vus en Consultation Dermatologique à Lomé (Togo).

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish the overview of current dermatosis in children in dermatological consultation in Lomé and to deduce the evolutionary trend of these dermatoses between 1992 and 2020. Method: This was a retrospective descriptive study concerning patients aged 0 to 15 years seen in consultation in the public dermatological services of Lomé from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019. The reasons for consultation were reviewed and classified into groups of dermatosis (immunoallergic, infectious, inflammatory, tumoral …). The results of this series were compared with those of a similar study carried out in 1992. Results: During the study period, 3 767 children attended showing dermatological condition (14.2% of the dermatological consultations were pediatric). The average age of the patients was 7.4 years and the sex ratio M/F was 0.7. July, August and September were the months with the highest number of consultations. The top three reasons for consultation were eczema (26.6%), prurigo strophulus (15.3%) and atopic dermatitis (4.9%). 51.3% of skin diseases in children were represented by immunoallergic dermatoses, followed by infectious dermatoses 23.6%. The predominant infectious dermatoses were fungal (34.4%) and bacterial (30.3%). Between 1992 and 2019, there was an increase in the prevalence of immunoallergic dermatoses and a reduction in infectious dermatoses. Conclusion: Immunoallergic dermatoses are predominant and clearly increasing among children seen in dermatological consultations in Lomé.

Human Disseminated Protothecosis: The Skin is the "Window"?

Human disseminated protothecosis is a rare infection caused by members of the genus Prototheca, an achlorophyllic algae always associated with debilitated hosts. The presence of non-budding cells and large, spherical cells (sporangia) with endosporulation (morula) in histology is proof of Prototheca infection. Regrettably, due to the lack of specificity of clinical features and low awareness among clinicians, protothecosis is always underestimated and misdiagnosed. The available data on a species-specific analysis of this infection are limited. In this review, we summarize the etiological, epidemiological, and clinical aspects of disseminated protothecosis. The potential pathogenicity and clinical differences between P. zopfii and P. wickerhamii were observed. Additionally, the skin not only became the main invasion site but also the most involved organ by the pathogen. With the increasing numbers of immunocompromised individuals throughout the world, the incidence of disseminated infection caused by Prototheca is bound to increase, and disseminated protothecosis that accompanies skin symptoms should be taken into account by clinicians.

An exuberant case of protothecosis: an emergent disease in tropical dermatology.

Protothecosis is a rare condition caused by the aclorophylated algae of the genus Prototheca. We described an exuberant case treated as sporotrichosis with prolonged course which evolved to arm deformation. Itraconazole treatment for 8 months was inefective.

Direct microscopy in the dermatology clinic: enhancing the management of skin infections and infestations.

Direct microscopy is a valuable skill in the management of skin infections and infestations, yet it is underutilized in dermatology clinics. This review details its use in identifying fungal skin infections and scabies infestations, outlining the steps involved in sample collection, preparation and interpretation.

Protothecosis in the mucosa of the pharynx mimicking pharyngeal cancer in an immunocompetent individual: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Protothecosis is a rare infection in humans and animals caused by the achlorophyllic algae Prototheca species. More than half of the protothecosis cases are cutaneous infections, and most cases are observed in immunocompromised individuals. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of Prototheca wickerhamii infection in the mucosa of the pharynx in a 53-year-old immunocompetent woman with an incidentally found mass lesion at the left tongue base. Histopathological findings of the mass lesion suggested cryptococcosis, but P. wickerhamii was identified from the oropharynx scrape culture based on DNA sequencing. After surgical resection, fosfluconazole treatment was initiated, and subsequently, treatment was switched to topical amphotericin B. The residual mass lesion did not deteriorate during the 4-month antifungal treatment and 1-year observational period. CONCLUSIONS: Prototheca species can be easily misdiagnosed as yeasts because of their morphological and pathological similarities. Prototheca, in addition to Cryptococcus should be considered if slow-growing, large Gram-positive organisms are encountered. Lactophenol cotton blue staining of the colony helps distinguish these organisms. Further study is needed to determine the appropriate treatment according to the infection focus.

Annular infectious dermatoses.

Annular configuration is conspicuous in the clinical manifestation of many skin diseases and can be helpful for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis. Variations may include arciform, ring-form, annular, circinate, serpiginous, gyrated, polycyclic, targeted or figurate forms, in different colors, sizes, and numbers, with various textures and surfaces. In infectious dermatoses, the annular reactions can be specific or nonspecific, while the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In the specific reactions caused by direct invasion of the pathogens, the contest between the centrifugal outspread of the infectious agents and the centripetal impedance of the host immune response is supposed to determine the final conformation. Examples include erythema infectiosum, orf, erythema multiforme, and pityriasis rosea of viral origin. Bacterial infections that may display annular lesions include erythrasma, erythema (chronicum) migrans of Lyme borreliosis, secondary syphilis, cutaneous tuberculosis, and leprosy. Superficial mycosis, such as dermatophytosis, candida intertrigo, tinea imbricata, and subcutaneous mycosis, such as chromoblastomycosis, and algae infection protothecosis, are characterized by annular progression of the skin lesions. The creeping serpiginous extension is an alarming sign for the diagnosis of cutaneous larva migrans. A better understanding of the virulence and pathogenicity of the pathogens and the way and type of immune response will help to clarify the pathogenesis.

[Soft tissue infections]. / Weichgewebeinfektionen.

Acute skin and soft tissue infections are among the most frequent infections in medicine. There is a broad spectrum including simple local infections as well as severe and life-threatening diseases. Along with Staphylococcus aureus, group A Streptococci are mainly responsible for these illnesses. The therapeutic approach ranges from antiseptic local treatments to administering systemic antibiotics or emergency surgery. Treating physicians often face challenges when presented with soft tissue infections due to a great discrepancy between the first impression of the disease compared to a possibly quick progression as well as the wide range of sometimes confusing historic terms and definitions being used in the English and German language, for instance pyoderma, erysipelas or phlegmon. A recently more popular collective term emphasized by clinical trials is "acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections" (ABSSSI).

[Common treatment diagnoses in dermatological emergency services]. / Häufige Behandlungsdiagnosen im dermatologischen Bereitschaftsdienst.

Patients with a variety of dermatologic conditions, ranging from mild to life-threatening course of disease, present to the dermatological emergency service. The article provides an overview of prevalent conditions and recommendations for diagnosis and treatment according to guidelines. Major acute allergic diseases such as anaphylaxis, urticaria, angioedema and cutaneous drug reactions are discussed. In the field of infectious skin diseases, herpes zoster and erysipelas are common reasons for dermatological consultation. In recent years, scabies has reemerged. Educating patients properly about scabies management can prevent further treatment failures. Finally, the article focuses on sexually transmitted infections including urogenital gonorrhea and chlamydia.