A retrospective study was made of the previous medical records of 47 infants with congenital syphilis born from mothers with untreated syphilis at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine during the years 1972 through 1983 The VDRL titer of these infants was higher than 1: 8 with reactive FT.A-ABS test. They were subjectd to hematologic examinations and the results were as follow s, 1. Of 46 infants with congenital syphilis, anemia was observed in thirty-one (68%) Reticulocytosis occurred in seventeen(89%) of nineteen infants with congenital syphilis having the mean value of 6. 0%. 3, Of 4.7 infants with congenital syphilis, leucocytosis was noted in seveenteen 4, Thrombocytopenia was observed in twenty (64%) of thirty-one infants with congenital syphilis.
Anemia ; Humans ; Infant ; Medical Records ; Mothers ; Reticulocytosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Syphilis ; Syphilis, Congenital* ; Thrombocytopenia

A retrospective study was made of the previous medical records of 32 infants with congenital syphilis borne from mothers with untreated syphilis at Severence Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine during the years 1,972 through 19g3, These infants had a VDRL titer higher than 1: 8 with reactive FTA-ABS test and were also subjected to radiologic examinations. Radiologic changes and clinical features were analyzed, The following results were obtained: Of the total of 32 infants with congenital syphilis under 5 months of age, those under 1 month of age, were the most common group numbering a total of twelve. Of 32 infants with congenital syphilis, twenty-nine(91%) showed skeletal changes upon radiologic examination, Among them the different sites of bone involvernent revealed that the femur(92%) was the most commonly affected bone, followed by the humerus(88%), tibia(81%,), fibula(80%), ulna(72%), radius (68%). Among the same 29 infants a study of the presence of various abnormal bone changes showed that periostitis was the most common, being involved in 83%, the others being metaphysitis and periostitis(72%), metaphysitis(66%). 3. Among the clinicaI features presented in the 32 infants with congenital syphilis, hepatomegaly was the most common(63%,), followed by erythema with desquamation(47%), pneumonia(38%), maulopapules(34%).
Erythema ; Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-Absorption Test ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Infant ; Medical Records ; Mothers ; Periostitis ; Radius ; Retrospective Studies ; Syphilis ; Syphilis, Congenital*

The patient was a 50 year old woman complaining of generalized multiple pruritic erythematous waxy papules on the face, chest, abdomen, both dorsum of hands and both knee joints areas. There was marked accentuation i>f the skin folds, and the thickened skin was freely movable. Histopathologic findings showed extensive proliferation of fibroblasts throughout the dermis associated with irregularly arranged bundles of collagen, In many areas, the colagen bundles were split up into individual fibers by much, which was confirmed by special stains. She showed clinical response to melphalan therapy, which had to be discontinued because of severe bone marrow depression after 7 weeks.
Abdomen ; Bone Marrow ; Collagen ; Coloring Agents ; Depression ; Dermis ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; Hand ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; Lichens* ; Melphalan ; Middle Aged ; Scleromyxedema* ; Skin ; Thorax

A 26-year-old female presented herself to our clinic due to noduloulcerative lesions of one month duration on her face and trunk with accompaning headache and mild fever. In family history, her husband was reported to have a history of chaner. On physical examinat.ion, rice sized eythematous papules and bean sized nodules with central ulceration were seen on the face and trunk. VDRL was 1:31 positive. A skin biopsy iif a noduloulcerative lesion showed ulceration, vascular dilatation with fibrinoid changes and perivascular inflarnmatory cellu infilt.rations, especially plasma cells. Immunoperoxidase stain showed T. pallidum at the epidermis and papillary dermis. The diagnsis was made asecondary syphilis with unusual clinical presentation as noduloucerative skin lesions. The skin lesions completely disappeared one month after treatment with injection of benzathine pelnicillin G 2.4 million unit intramuscularly weekly for three times.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Dilatation ; Epidermis ; Female ; Fever ; Headache ; Humans ; Plasma Cells ; Skin ; Spouses ; Syphilis* ; Ulcer

This study was undertaken to identify the protein antigens reacting with IgM antibodies in the sera of various stages of syphilis before and after treatment, employing sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), immunoblotting and immunoperoxidase stain. The results were as follows : 1. Before treatment, the most strongly reacting antigens of T. pallidam precipitated by IgM antibodies in the sera of patients were polypeptides of molecular weights 47,000, 34,000 and 29,500. So it was observed that those were the major antigens of T. pallidum reacting with IgM antibodies. 2. After observing protein antigens of T. pallidum reacting with IgM antibodies in the sera of patients with syphilis before and after treatment, it was seen that in primary, secondary and early latent syphilis there was a loss of several antigens and s decrease in reactivity, but no changes occurred in late latent and reinfected syphilis. 3. From the observation of the reaction between serum antibodies of patients with trested syphilis and major antigens of T. pallidum, an evident decrease in reactivity was observed only with protein antigen of molecular weight 47,000 which reacts with IgM antibody. From the above results, it could be concluded that of molecular weight 47,000 could contribute to the assessment of the diagnosis of syphilis and the efficacy of treatment.
Antibodies* ; Diagnosis ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin M* ; Molecular Weight ; Peptides ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate ; Syphilis* ; Syphilis, Latent ; Treponema pallidum* ; Treponema*

The effect of dietary zinc deficiency on the enzymatic components of free radical defense system was observed in the skin of rats. We measured the concentration of serum zinc and the enzymatic activities of CuZn superoxide dismutase(CuZn SOD), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase(GGPDH) and glutathione reductase (GSH-RD). The serum zinc level was sig nificantly lower in the zinc-deficient group compared to the zinc-supplemented group after 8 weeks of consuming the diet(P<0.01). CuZn SOD activity was not different between the two groups after 4 weeks. The Zn deficient group showed the significantly decreased activity of G6PDH after 4 and 8 weeks of consuming the diet(P<0.01). The activity of GSH-RD was increased in the zinc-deficient group compared to the supplemented group after 4 weeks of consuming the diet(P<0.01), but after 8 weeks the activity was not different between the two groups. From the results obtained, it could be concluded that GSH-RD may contribute to the oxygen free radical defense system in zinc deficiency in the earlier weeks of consum ing the zinc-deficient diet.
Animals ; Diet ; Glucose-6-Phosphate ; Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase ; Glutathione Reductase ; Oxygen ; Rats* ; Skin* ; Superoxides ; Zinc*

A retrospective study was made of the medical records of 114 pregnant women with untreated syphilis and their offsprings, and 19 pregnant women with treated syphilis and their offsprings at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine during the years 1972 through 1981. We analyzed the outcornes of offsprings from both untreated and treated syphilitic mothers and the clinical manife- stations of early congenital syphilis. The results obtained were as follows: Of 30 offsprings from 30 untreated syphilitic mothers with VDRL titer below 1: 4, six(20%) had congenital syphilis, one(3%) was a stillbirth, and twenty-three were normal infants. Of 84 offsprings from 84 untreated syphilitic mothers with VDRL titer above 1: 8, fifty-six(67g) had congenital syphilis, ten(12g,) were neonatal deaths, and eighteen(21%) were stillbirths, Normal infants were not observed. The mean weight ratio of placenta to fetus was 0 29 in g8 offsprings from syphilitic mothers. The ratios were as follows: 0. 25 in 14 living infants with con- genital syphilis, 0. 27 in 5 neonatal deaths, and (), 33 in 19 stillbirths respectively. 3, Of 19 pregnant women with treated syphilis, the qualitative tests of VDRL were all reactive except for one case and the quantitatis e tests of VDRL were 1: 1 weakly reactive to 1: 4 reactive. FTA-ABS tests demonstrated reactive results in all cases. The qualitative tests of VDRL in the infeants of the treated mothers were 1: 1 weakly reactive to 1: 2 reactive and FTA-ABS tests were reactive in all cases.-countinue-
Female ; Fetus ; Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-Absorption Test ; Humans ; Infant ; Medical Records ; Mothers* ; Placenta ; Pregnant Women ; Retrospective Studies ; Stillbirth ; Syphilis ; Syphilis, Congenital*

This study was conducted to identify the protein antigens reacting with IgG antibodies in the sera of variaus stages of syphilis before treatment, the antigens common to both Treponema pallidum and Treponema phagedenis, and the antigens specific only to T. pzllidum, employing sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS PAGE) and immunoblotting. Before treatment, the most strongly reacting antigens of T. pallidum precipitated by IgG antibodies in the sera of patients were polypeptides of molecular weights 47, 000, 36,500, 15,500 and 14,000. Eleven antigens common to both T. palbdum and T. phagedenis were observed, and antigens of molecular weights 86,500, 68,500,15,500 and 14,000 showed to be specific only to T. pallidum. From the results obtained, it could be concluded that of the major antigens of T. pallidum, the antigens of molecular weights 15,500 and 14,000 could serve to develop newer serologic tests for syphilis.
Antibodies* ; Humans ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin G* ; Molecular Weight ; Peptides ; Serologic Tests ; Sodium ; Syphilis* ; Treponema ; Treponema pallidum

We present herein a case of generalized pustular psoriasis in a 17-month-old female infant, who showed good response to etretinate therapy. The baby showed generalized pustular eruptions with high fever and marked leukocytosis preceded by annular scaly erythematous and annular pustular lesions. Etretinate was given in a dose of 10mg(0.75mg/kg/day) for 10 days, and then tapered to 7mg, 5mg, and 4mg in every 10 to 13 days. Clinical improvement was noted after 7 days' treatment and almost all of the skin lesions including erythroderma were cleared after 6 weeks' treatment. She is now maintained with 3mg of etretinate without recurrence.
Acitretin* ; Dermatitis, Exfoliative ; Etretinate* ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Infant* ; Leukocytosis ; Psoriasis* ; Recurrence ; Skin

A 48-year-old woman, who had had tattoo on her eyebrows, was seen with pruitic erythematous indurated plaques on the tattooing sites. The skin react ion was begun to observe about 4 weeks after getting tattoo. Skin biopsy specimens from the indurated lesions showed granulomatous reactions. Intradermal tests by means of multiple pricks and patch test were done on her low back with the same tattoo dye and also 4 others available in Korea. Serial punch biopsy specimens were obtained from the sites of intradermal test at 2nd, 7th, 28th, and 56th day after intradermal test. Granulomatous reactions were found in the spiecimens taken at the 28th and 56th day.
Biopsy ; Eyebrows ; Female ; Humans ; Intradermal Tests ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Patch Tests ; Skin ; Tattooing