The spectrum of dermatophytes isolated from skin lesions had changed in last 70 years Before the Second World War in Germany, Microsporum audouinii and Epidermophyton floccosum ranked the first, whereas Trichophyton rubrum is the most common dermatophyte since the fifties of last century, accounting for 80-90% of the strains, followed by T mentagrophytes This evolution is typical for Central and North Europe and it needs to be connected with the increase in the incidence of tinea pedis In contrast, in Southern Europe and in Arabic countries, zoophilic dermatophytes, such as Microsporum canis or Trichophyton verrucosum, are the most frequently isolated In Europe, especially in Mediterranean countries, the incidence of M canis infection has strongly increased during the recent years and this dermatophyte is now the most prevalent in tinea capitis in children An analysis of the frequency and distribution of tinea pedis in different occupations and leisure-time activities as well as the routes of infection are reported The spreading of this disease in most developed countries of the world represents a considerable economic problem, since it was accompanied by a parallel increase in the frequency of onychomycosis which implies, as tinea pedis, large financial charges In poor developing countries, mycoses appear endemically, primarily with children, and their treatment often fails because of the lack of efficient antifungals The particular epidemiological situations of dermatophytoses and the pathogenic spectrum of dermatophytes are examined at the example of numerous countries

Updates on the epidemiology of dermatophyte infections.

Laboratory mice, rats, and rabbits may harbor a variety of viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal agents. Frequently, these organisms cause no overt signs of disease. However, many of the natural pathogens of these laboratory animals may alter host physiology, rendering the host unsuitable for many experimental uses. While the number and prevalence of these pathogens have declined considerably, many still turn up in laboratory animals and represent unwanted variables in research. Investigators using mice, rats, and rabbits in biomedical experimentation should be aware of the profound effects that many of these agents can have on research.

Natural Pathogens of Laboratory Mice, Rats, and Rabbits and Their Effects on Research

Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a widely approved therapy for actinic keratoses, squamous cell carcinoma in-situ, superficial and certain thin basal cell carcinomas Recurrence rates are typically equivalent to existing therapies, although inferior to surgery for nodular basal cell carcinoma PDT can be used both as a lesional or as a field therapy and has the potential to delay/reduce the development of new lesions PDT has also been studied for its place in the treatment of, as well as its potential to prevent, superficial skin cancers in immune-suppressed patients, although sustained clearance rates are lower than for immunocompetent individuals Many additional indications have been evaluated, including photo-rejuvenation and inflammatory and infective dermatoses This S2 guideline considers all current and emerging indications for the use of topical photodynamic therapy in Dermatology, prepared by the PDT subgroup of the European Dermatology Forum guidelines committee It presents consensual expert recommendations reflecting current published evidence An unabridged version of this guideline is available online at: http://wwweurodermorg/edf/indexphp/edf-guidelines

European Dermatology Forum Guidelines on topical photodynamic therapy

Dendrimers represents a novel class of macromolecules, which are derived from branches upon branches type structural design. Dendrimers are emerging as promising drug-delivery molecule because of their extraordinary properties including membrane interaction, monodispersity, well-defined size, shape and molecular weight, etc. Drugs interact with dendrimers in three ways; (a) physical encapsulation, (b) electrostatic interactions, and (c) covalent conjugations. Due to compact, globular structure and availability of interior cavity spaces and multiple surface functional groups, drug molecules can be encapsulated both in the interior of the dendrimers (physical encapsulation) as well as attached to the surface functional groups (covalent conjugations).

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/21691401.2015.1129625

Dendrimers in anticancer drug delivery: mechanism of interaction of drug and dendrimers.

We studied dermatophyte infections in patients, examined in the Mycological Laboratory of the Department of Dermatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana during the period 1995-2002 A total of 42,494 samples were collected from 33,974 patients suspected to have dermatomycosis Dermatophytes were identified in 8286 (712%) positive cultures Microsporum canis was the most frequent dermatophyte isolated (468%), followed by Trichophyton rubrum (367%), T mentagrophytes var interdigitale (79%) and T mentagrophytes var mentagrophytes (49%) Less frequently isolated were M gypseum, T verrucosum, Epidermophyton floccosum, T tonsurans and T violaceum The most common dermatophyte infections included tinea corporis, onychomycosis, tinea pedis and tinea faciei Zoophilic dermatophytes were most commonly recovered from children and adolescents with tinea capitis, tinea corporis and tinea faciei Anthropophilic species were identified mostly in adults with tinea pedis, onychomycosis and tinea inguinalis During the period studied, we recorded a decline in the rate of M canis infections, while infections produced by T rubrum increased in frequency

Dermatophyte infections in the Ljubljana region, Slovenia, 1995–2002

We have compared the epidemiology of dermatophytoses in Slovakia during the periods 1956-85 and 1986-92. Infections caused by Trichophyton rubrum gradually increased while infections due to Trichophyton verrucosum and Microsporum canis decreased.

The occurrence of dermatophytes in Slovakia.

Methotrexate is the first line therapy for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis all over the world. It has immunosupressive and anti-inflammatory effects. If we want to use it, we have to know its mechanism of action and also its possible toxicity and how to cope with it (Tab. 3, Fig. 1, Ref. 14).

Systemic therapy of psoriasis: methotrexate.

Background Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is an effective inhibitor of mold growth. In very low concentrations, DMF is a potent sensitizer that can cause severe allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). It has been identified as the agent responsible for furniture contact dermatitis in Europe. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients in Slovakia with footwear ACD associated with DMF, with regard to clinical manifestations, patch test results, and results of chemical analysis of their footwear.



Methods  Nine patients with suspected footwear contact dermatitis underwent patch testing with the following allergens: samples of their own footwear, commercial DMF, the European baseline, shoe screening, textile and leather dye screening, and industrial biocides series. The results were recorded according to international guidelines. The content of DMF in footwear and anti-mold sachets was analyzed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.



Results  Acute ACD was observed in nine Caucasian female patients. All patients developed delayed sensitization, as demonstrated by positive patch testing using textile footwear lining. Seven patients were patch tested with 0.1% DMF, and all seven were positive. Chemical analysis of available footwear showed that DMF was present in very high concentrations (25–80 mg/Kg).



Conclusions  Dimethyl fumarate is a new footwear allergen and was responsible for severe ACD in our patients. To avoid an increase in the number of cases, the already approved European preventive measures should be accepted and commonly employed.

Footwear contact dermatitis from dimethyl fumarate

Linear porokeratosis (LP) is a rare clinical porokeratosis variant, which typically presents at birth, but can also develop in adulthood Differential diagnosis includes linear lichen planus, lichen striatus, linear verrucous epidermal nevus, incontinentia pigmenti and linear Darier's disease An LP lesion has an increased risk of transformation into a squamous cell carcinoma or basal cell carcinoma The treatment of LP is contradictory and disappointing in general We present a case of a 16-year-old girl with multiple reddish-brown macules and depressions on the medial aspect of her right arm, localized from the palmar joint up to shoulder region in a linear pattern We performed confocal microscopy (CLSM) of multiple lesions and a punch biopsy after receiving informed consent to confirm the diagnosis After diagnosis confirmation, we performed Photodynamic therapy (PDT) Methyl aminolevulinate cream in a 160 mg/g concentration (Metvix crm) was applied under occlusion on the previously cleaned surface of every single lesion for 3 hours The lesions were subsequently illuminated with a dose of 37 J/cm(2) (Aktilite, PhotoCure ASA, Norway) Two months after the first PDT treatment, the patient came for a third PDT session Treatment follow-up was performed 6 months after the initial PDT session A CLSM image proved an increase in the width of the stratum spinosum to 42-48 μm, mild post-inflammatory changes were also present Cosmetic and clinical response up to date at the time of last follow-up (1 year) was satisfactory No progression was observed

A case of linear porokeratosis treated with photodynamic therapy with confocal microscopy surveillance.

Objective: The main goal of this study was to compare the hair removal efficacy of three methods: intense pulsed light (IPL), a combination of IPL and radio frequency (RF) and diode laser (810 nm). Methods: Forty participants were treated within three standardized squares on lateral sites on their legs. Each of these squares was treated twice with an interval of 4–6 weeks. The fourth square was left as a control. A blinded physician counted the hairs in each square before the first treatment and 8 months after the second treatment. Immediate and delayed side effects as well as pain scores were recorded. Results: The mean hair count reduction achieved by the diode laser, IPL and IPL+RF was 49.90%, 39.16% and 47.15%, respectively. This study did not show any serious side effects and the number of side effects was minimal. The mean pain scores for the first and second treatments by diode laser, IPL and IPL+RF were 4.65 and 4.58, 2.43 and 2.53, and 3.95 and 4.03, respectively. At the end of the study,...

Mária Šimaljaková

Papers

The occurrence of dermatophytes in Slovakia.

Systemic therapy of psoriasis: methotrexate.

Footwear contact dermatitis from dimethyl fumarate

A case of linear porokeratosis treated with photodynamic therapy with confocal microscopy surveillance.

Comparison of hair reduction with three lasers and light sources: prospective, blinded and controlled study.