BACKGROUND: The incidence and causative dermatophytes of tinea cruris has been changed with time. Although clinical and mycologic studies of whole dermatophytosis have been reported many times, there have been only a few studies about tinea cruris reported. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical and mycological features of tinea cruuis. METHODS: We evaluated the clinical and mycologic aspects of tinea cruris in 598 patients with tinea cruris from January 1985 to December 1997 in Yeungnam University Hospital. RESULTS: The incidence of tinea cruris was 20.8% of 2,878 total dermatophytoses. The ratio of male to female patients was 23.9:1. And most of them were in their twenties and thirties. Most(82.1%) of them involved both sites of the groin. Concurrent dermatophytic infections of tinea cruris were noted in 29.4% of the cases and the most common one was tinea pedis(22.4%). Three hundred and thirty eight dermatophytes were isolated from 598 patients with tinea cruris. They were Trichophyton(T.) rubrum(95.3%), T. mentagrophytes(4.4%), Epidermophyton floccosum(1.2%), Microsporum canis(0.9%). CONCLUSION: Tinea cruris is a male predominant dermatophytosis, the most common causative organism is T. rubrum, and tinea pedis seems to be an important reservoir.
Arthrodermataceae ; Epidermophyton ; Female ; Groin ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Microsporum ; Tinea Pedis ; Tinea*

OBJECTIVES: A different sequence change, in the mitochondrial tRNA gene, has been proposed as a candidate mutation in the sensorineurnal hearing loss. The purpose of current study is to identify the association between the noise-induced sensorineurnal hearing loss and the A to G mutation at nucleotide 3243 of mitochondrial DNA. METHODS: Subjects were established by history and chart review, and audiological and clinical data were obtained. Blood was sampled from 101 controls, 50 noise-induced hearing loss, and 12 sensorineural deafness. The DNA of these individuals was extracted, and mitochondrial genome was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. Subsequently, the coding sequence of mitochondrial genome was sequenced, and compared to the normal sequence, and all sequence variations were analyzed by restriction endonuclease ApaI. RESULTS: Mitochondrial DNA mutation (3243A->G) was not detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in any patients with noise-induced hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, and normal control without hearing loss in Koreans. The DNA sequencing of PCR products did not revealed an A to G substitution at nucleotide 3243 of mitochondrial DNA. CONCLUSIONS: The noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss was not associated with mitochondrial DNA mutation (3243A->G)
Clinical Coding ; Deafness ; DNA ; DNA Restriction Enzymes ; DNA, Mitochondrial* ; Genome, Mitochondrial ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Transfer ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

No abstract available.
Antifungal Agents* ; Trichophyton*

KOH examination is a simple, rapid and diagnostic procedure to confirm dermatophytic infections. It is important to select a proper examination site of the lesion. To determinate the proper examination site of the lesion, mycologic studies were done with multiple specimens collected from the center, margin and out of margin of the ring-shaped dermatophytic skin lesion on the 58 patients. The results were as follows. Positive rate of KOH wet smear was 94.8% at the center and 100% at the margin of the lesions, 22.4% at the 1 cm and 5.2% at the 2 cm out of the lesions. The more hyphae were found in the lesion, the more hyphae were found out of the lesion. Culture was done on the Sabouraud's glucose agar from the highest KOH positive area and the positive culture was 48 strains (82.8%) of 58 patients. These findings suggested that the ring-shaped active margin was the best site to examine mycologic studies.
Agar ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hyphae ; Skin*

In a series of paleo-parasitological investigations, we have been able to obtain invaluable data on parasite infection patterns prevalent among the Joseon (1392-1910) people in Korea. Thus far we have established that the Joseon people were in fact heavily infected by various species of parasites, though precise patterns and exact statuses of infection in specific town and cities have proved elusive. In the present study, relevant historical documentation was obtained and examined, shedding light on some of the operative socio-cultural factors that might have played a role in inducing a high infection prevalence of Ascaris, a soil-transmitted roundworm, in Joseon society. On this evidentiary basis, we could confirm that the recycling of human feces as fertilizer and the habit of eating raw vegetables were both closely related to infection. These factors were sufficient to maintain the life cycle of Ascaris, there by perpetuating a cycle of infection and reinfection among the Joseon inhabitants. Overall, this study demonstrated the value of close medical-scientist / historian interdisciplinary collaboration infacilitating comprehensive and meaningful paleo-parasitological findings and interpretations.
Ascaris ; Cooperative Behavior ; Eating ; Feces ; Helminths ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Cycle Stages ; Light ; Parasites ; Prevalence ; Recycling ; Vegetables

We observed the histopathological findings in 16 patients with nevus flammeus according to the time sequence after argon laser therapy. The results were as follows : 1. Immediately after treatment There was nonspecific damage to the epidermis, upper part of the dermis and upper portion of the pilosebaceous unit to a depth of 0.4~0.5mm depth. The specific damage to the vessels, which showed thrombi formation and partial disruption of the vessel walls was seen to a depth of 0.8~0.9mm. 2. One week after treatment Crust was formed and the epidermis regenerated almost completely. The thrombi still persisted and there was partial disappearance of the vessel walls. 3. Four to 10 months after treatment The epidermis appeared normal except the rete ridge flattening. The upper dermis was diffusely fibrotic, with relatively few residual vessels, many of them with slit-like contour.
Argon* ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Nevus* ; Port-Wine Stain*

OBJECTIVE: To compare the scar formation and hand function between moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) treatment and conventional skin graft in full thickness hand burns. METHOD: Prospective comparative study was done between MEBO treatment group and conventional skin graft group. Full thickness burn wound scars on dorsal hand were compared. Scars were assessed with the Vancouver scar scale and other objective measurement tools such as pigmentation, erythema, pliability, transepideramal water loss, thickness and perfusion. Hand function was evaluated by the Jebsen hand function test and Michigan Hand Function Questionnaire. RESULTS: Vancouver Scar scale showed significantly better scores in the MEBO group than in the conventional skin graft group. Scar thickness and transepidermal water loss were greater in the MEBO treatment group whereas pigmentation value was greater in the conventional skin graft group. There was no significant difference in the hand function between the two groups. CONCLUSION: MEBO application could be an alternative treatment to conventional skin graft treatment in full thickness hand burn wounds. In the future, more studies are yet to come how MEBO treatment may affect the skin condition of the burn injuries.
Burns* ; Cicatrix* ; Erythema ; Hand* ; Michigan ; Perfusion ; Pigmentation ; Pliability ; Prospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Skin* ; Transplants* ; Wounds and Injuries

No abstract available.
Child* ; Growth Hormone* ; Humans ; Insulin* ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I*

BACKGROUND: We have little information about long-term treatment results of tinea unguium based on the treatment methods and oral antifungal agents used in dermatology. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the confirmed effectiveness and side effects of antifungal agents and to investigate the ratio of patients who completely finished the course of treatment in the practical area, not in the experimental studies. METHODS: The medical records of 684 patients diagnosed with tinea unguium from January 1985 to December 1996 in Yeungnam l.Jniversity Hospital were analysed for the results. RESULTS: The number of patients who were diagnosed with tinea unguium during this period was 684. In this study, we segregafed the patients whose outcome could be confirmed and calculated the percentage of completely treated and improved cases according to the antifungal agents used (griseofulvin-7.0%, ketoconazole-8.2%, itraconazole-9.0%, terbinafine-13.7%). We also calculated the percentage of patients who had completely finished the course of treatment (griseofulvin-6.8%, ketoconazole-7.4%, itraconazole-32.S%, terbinafine-31.8%). Among the patients whose results were unknown, more than half of patients(51.7%) had discontinued treatment within 3 weeks. The frequency of side effects of griseofulvin was 5.27a, ketoconazole 11.1%, itraconazole 6.7%, and terbinafine 6.1%. CONCLUSION: The treatment results of tinea unguium in clinical fields are different from results of previously reported studies. The percentages of completely treated and improved cases and those of patients who had completely finished the course of treatment are much lower than the results of previous experimental studies. Jt may be due to low compliance of patients and the long-term treatment course required. To increase the patients compliance and improve the results of treatment, we should explain to the patients about the disease course and duration of the treatment.
Antifungal Agents* ; Compliance ; Dermatology ; Griseofulvin ; Humans ; Itraconazole ; Ketoconazole ; Medical Records ; Onychomycosis* ; Patient Compliance* ; Tinea*

We report a case of subungual solitary glomus tumor in a 28-year-old female, who has suffered from pain and tenderness of the left 4th finger tip for about 5 years. Simple surgical excision was performed for removal of the tumor mass and for the relief of the subjective symptoms. No recurrence has been observed for 5 months following excision of the tumor.
Adult ; Female ; Fingers ; Glomus Tumor* ; Humans ; Recurrence