YERSINIA ENTEROCOLITICA: A NEW CAUSE OF ERYTHEMA NODOSUM

Summary— Three cases of erythema nodosum associated with Yersinia enterocolitica infection are reported. The differential diagnosis is discussed, and it is concluded that the erythema nodosum was probably a complication of the Yersinia infection. The diagnosis was supported by serological investigations. The reported cases occurred in the southern part of Sweden during the summer of 1968.     

MANAGEMENT OF ERYTHEMA NODOSUM LEPROSUM BY MYCOPHENOLATE MOFETIL

Mycophenolate mofetil has been tried in 20 cases of chronic relapsing erythema nodosum leprosum reaction where long use of systemic steroid produce complications or are contraindicated. Excellent results have been observed in all the cases to arrest the reaction followed for a period of six to eight months duration.     

ERYTHEMA NODOSUM LEPROSUM IN NIGERIA

The occurrence of erythema nodosum leprosum among leprosy patients treated with diamino diphenyl sulfone in an endemic area is not rare, unlike in the leprosy patients treated at Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Two Nigerian patients with this disease are described, in whom this rarity was seen. Recurrent monthly fever with painful skin swellings in lepromatous patients from an edemic area is highly suggestive of erythema nodosum leprosum. The occurrence of this reaction in lepromatous leprosy gives a relatively poor prognosis.     

ERYTHEMA NODOSUM VERSUS NODULAR VASCULITIS

Background. Erythema nodosum (en ) is usually considered to be a septal panniculitis, and nodular vasculitis (nv ) a lobular panniculitis. We tested the usefulness of this histologic classification in clarifying a frequent clinical dilemma: en versus nv . Methods. Over 3 years 109 patients with panniculitis were included in this study. After a history and a physical examination, a clinical diagnosis was made according to well-established criteria. Results. From the study of 88 patients, we concluded that in the clinically typical cases, the clinico-pathologic agreement was 93% and 94% for en and nv respectively, whereas it diminished to 79%, 72%, and 67% in the cases clinically diagnosed as en migrans, atypical en , and atypical nv , respectively. Moreover, septal and lobular panniculitis were always two clear-cut, different, opposite patterns of hypodermal inflammation to these conditions. Conclusions. In the absence of a known pathogenetic mechanism, the histopathology remains the most objective discriminating marker between en and nv , mainly in the clinically atypical and doubtful cases.     

FUNGAL INFECTION AS A CAUSE OF SKIN DISEASE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

In the ten year period between 1963 and 1972. 1154 fungal infections of the fed were diagnosed in Western Australia from the examination of 2.732 patients. Dermatophyte fungi were responsible for 15.6% and Candida species 24.2% of these infections. Trichophyton rubrum caused 44.7% of the dermatophyte infections and T. mentagrophytes 37.3%. There was no significant seasonal effect on the occurrence of feel injections. Males were more commonly affected than females, dermatophyte ratio 3.8:1: and Candida 2.4:1. The disease was uncommon in young children (1.6% of total).     

SOLAR AND RADIANT DAMAGE TO ELASTIC TISSUE AS A CAUSE OF INTERNAL VASCULAR DISEASE

Evidence is accumulating that actinic radiation grievously damages the elastic tissue membranes that give essential support to blood vessels within under the skin and that this injury may in turn act through the blood to incite a corresponding injury to the elastic tissue of major internal vessels. If this connection be confirmed, it means: (1) The hazards of solar and radiant exposure are even greater than hitherto suspected (2) Although most sunscreens protect the surface epithelium against cancer inducing radiation, persisting doubts about whether they also protect against dermal elastic damage (“ageing”) need urgent resolution. Similar doubts about sunglasses and the protection of ocular elastic tissue also call for attention.