Tinea incognito is a dermatophyte infection with atypical features, due to the use of topical or systemic steroids or other immunosuppressive medications. Delayed diagnosis, spread of the infection to critical body surfaces, resistance to antifungal drugs, and increased costs due to prolonged hospitalization and multiple treatment regimens often complicate tinea incognito. It can affect individuals of all ages and genders, but it is more common in children. Atypical clinical appearance often necessitates differentiation from other diseases such as eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, or other non-fungal skin conditions. The treatment of tinea incognito usually involves discontinuation of topical steroids or other immunosuppressive medications. Preventive measures and management of the underlying fungal infection are necessary and can be achieved with antifungal drugs. Patients should wear loose cotton clothes, use boiling water for laundry, and iron their clothing before wearing them. Additionally, they should avoid sharing bed linens, towels, clothes, and shoes. This review aims to raise awareness of tinea incognito among health practitioners, provide tips for detecting the disorder, include it in the differentials, and evaluate the available diagnostic procedures.
Eccrine porocarcinoma (EPC) constitutes a rare malignant adnexal tumor, which accounts for about 0.005–0.01% of all cutaneous malignancies. It may develop de novo or arise from an eccrine poroma, after a latency period of years or even decades. Accumulating data suggest that specific oncogenic drivers and signaling pathways may be implicated in its tumorigenesis, while recent data have demonstrated a high overall mutation rate attributed to UV exposure. Diagnosis may be challenging and should rely on the combination of clinical, dermoscopical, histopathological and immunohistochemical findings. The literature is controversial regarding tumor behavior and prognosis and, therefore, there is no consensus on its surgical management, utility of lymph-node biopsy and further adjuvant or systemic treatment. However, recent advances in tumorigenesis of EPC may aid in the development of novel treatment strategies, which could improve survival of advanced or metastatic disease, such as immunotherapy. This review presents an update of the epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical presentation of EPC and summarizes current data on diagnostic evaluation and management of this rare cutaneous malignancy.
Introduction: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease of unclear etiology. The role of bacteria in the pathogenesis of disease remains controversial. Materials and Methods: Specimens were obtained from 22 HS patients by direct percutaneous needle aspiration. The collected material was cultured in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and sensitivity tests were performed. Results: Of the 22 patients, 32% were culture negative and 68% were culture positive. A total of 16 isolates was obtained, 14 aerobic and 2 anaerobic. Aerobic bacteria were present in 86% of the specimens, whereas only anaerobic bacteria were isolated in 7%. The predominant aerobic species were Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Staphylococcus lugdunensis. The isolated anaerobic bacteria were Dermacoccus nishinomiyaensis and Propionibacteriumgranulosum. Conclusion: A variety of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria was isolated from the HS lesions of our patients. In contrast to previous studies, fewer patients were found to be culture positive, and Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in only 1 of them. More studies are necessary to elucidate the controversial role of bacteria in the pathogenesis of HS.
7 December 2023 in Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology