A clinical and histopathologic study was done on 48 cases of cutaneous tuberculosis among 43, 209 out-patients in Dermatologic department of Korea t.Jniversity Hospital during the period of 15 years and 9 mont4s from January, 1969 to September, 1984. These 48 cases were consistent with skin tuberculosis in histologic and clinicalI finc1ings, The result were summarized as follows: ]. The incidence of skin tuberculosis was 0 I 1 g among 43, 209 cases of outpatients. 2. Localized type of skin tuberculosis was 3. 2 times more frequent than disseminated type. Frequent skin tuberculosis was lupus vulgaris (57 3%), erythema induratum (12, 5%), tuberculosis verrucosa cutis(8.3%) and lupus milaris disseminatus faciei (8. 3%). 4, The ratio between male and fenmle was 1: l. 1. 5 The ages of onset were variable according to the types of skin tuberculosis. but 45 8% of all cases developed in the age group between 10 and 29 years. Seasonal incidences of skin tuberculosis were 52. 1% in spring, 85%, in winter, 18. 8% in summer, 4, 2%, in autumn. 7 In histopathologic findings, there were tubercle or tubrculoid structures in all cases and typical tubercle structures were observed in 18.8% The ratio of accordance between the histopathologic diagnosis and clinicopa thologic diagnosis was 81.3%.
Diagnosis ; Erythema Induratum ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lupus Vulgaris ; Male ; Outpatients ; Seasons ; Skin* ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous*

BACKGROUND: It is well known that the cutaneous tuberculosis especially skin tuberculids is difficult to detect early and make a confirm diagnosis because the organism is seldom detected in a lesion by conventional methods such as AFB stain and culture. The polymerase chain reaction is a very powerful molecular biological tool in diagnosing infectious, neoplastic and genetic diseases. It has the merit of employing various samples, and to improving sensitivity by the modification of PCR techniques. Usage of the routinely formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue as a sample for PCR is very useful in clinical examination, however the sensitivity and specificity have been known to be decreased. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of the nested-PCR in the diagnosis of different types of cutaneous tuberculosis, we tried to detect the DNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from routinely formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue. METHODS: The various cutaneous tuberculosis and infectious granulomatous disease were retrospecitively selected by the findings of clinical, histopathological and bacterial culture. There were 9 cases of lupus vulgaris, 4 tuberculosis verrucosa cutis, 2 papulonecrotic tuberculid, 2 erythema induratum and 4 lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei. To amplify the 123bp DNA fragment of a repeated insertion sequence IS6110, two pairs of primers composing outside and inside primers were applied. RESULTS: The positive band was found in 10(91% ) of lupus vulgaris, 3 of tuberculosis verrucosa cutis, 1 papulonecrotic tuberculid and 1 erythema induratum. Four of the LMDF and 5 of the infectious granulomatous diseases were negative. CONCLUSION: The nested-PCR using routinely formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue is a useful diagnostic tool if combined with the result of other clinical data. Also it may provide further insight into pathogenesis of skin tuberculids and the differential diagnosis of granulomatous skin diseases.
Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; DNA ; Erythema Induratum ; Lupus Vulgaris ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin Diseases ; Skin* ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous*

BACKGROUND: It is well known that the cutaneous tuberculosis especially skin tuberculids is difficult to detect early and make a confirm diagnosis because the organism is seldom detected in a lesion by conventional methods such as AFB stain and culture. The polymerase chain reaction is a very powerful molecular biological tool in diagnosing infectious, neoplastic and genetic diseases. It has the merit of employing various samples, and to improving sensitivity by the modification of PCR techniques. Usage of the routinely formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue as a sample for PCR is very useful in clinical examination, however the sensitivity and specificity have been known to be decreased. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of the nested-PCR in the diagnosis of different types of cutaneous tuberculosis, we tried to detect the DNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from routinely formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue. METHODS: The various cutaneous tuberculosis and infectious granulomatous disease were retrospecitively selected by the findings of clinical, histopathological and bacterial culture. There were 9 cases of lupus vulgaris, 4 tuberculosis verrucosa cutis, 2 papulonecrotic tuberculid, 2 erythema induratum and 4 lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei. To amplify the 123bp DNA fragment of a repeated insertion sequence IS6110, two pairs of primers composing outside and inside primers were applied. RESULTS: The positive band was found in 10(91% ) of lupus vulgaris, 3 of tuberculosis verrucosa cutis, 1 papulonecrotic tuberculid and 1 erythema induratum. Four of the LMDF and 5 of the infectious granulomatous diseases were negative. CONCLUSION: The nested-PCR using routinely formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue is a useful diagnostic tool if combined with the result of other clinical data. Also it may provide further insight into pathogenesis of skin tuberculids and the differential diagnosis of granulomatous skin diseases.
Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; DNA ; Erythema Induratum ; Lupus Vulgaris ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin Diseases ; Skin* ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous*

Gangrenous skin disease is characterized by rapidly progressive necrosis of the subcutaneoua tissue. It is mainly caused by Group A b-hemolytic Streptococcus. We are now reporting three cases of gangrenous skin diseases including gangrene due to Vibrio vulnificus, streptococcal gangrene, and ecthyma gangrenosum. Their treatment was as follows: early surgical debridment, the correction of fluidelectrolyte depletion, and antibiotics. When fresh granulation tissues were seen on the wound base, we performed so called Island skin graft. 3 to 5 weeks later, there were good cosmetic and functional results. These results reveals that among several curative measures of gangrenous skin diseases early surgical debridment is the most important one. We belive many dermatologists should be concerned about skin surgery progressively.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Dermatologic Surgical Procedures ; Ecthyma ; Gangrene ; Granulation Tissue ; Necrosis ; Skin Diseases* ; Skin* ; Streptococcus ; Transplants* ; Vibrio vulnificus ; Wounds and Injuries

BACKGROUND: Bacterial skin infections occur secondarily in conditions involving a vulnerable skin barrier such as atopic eczema, as well as primarily such as impetigo. They are mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococci. Recently, the prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus has been increasing. OBJECTIVE: To determine the characteristics of community-acquired bacterial skin infections, to observe their antibiotic susceptibility patterns, and to evaluate factors contributing to the treatment response. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed outpatients under 30 years old from 2010 to 2015, from whom we had taken skin swabs for antibiotic susceptibility testing. We collected clinical and microbiological characteristics from the medical records. RESULTS: We evaluated the culture results of 197 patients and reviewed their medical records. Overall, 86.3% (n=170) of the patients responded to the initial treatment regimen. S. aureus was the most commonly isolated pathogen (52.6%) and showed a high resistance rate to penicillin (90.9%) and oxacillin (36.3%). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, resistance to 3 or more antibiotics (p=0.044), culture amounts described as “many” (p=0.040), and non-systemic antibiotic use (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with lower treatment response. However, methicillin resistance was not associated with lower treatment response both in univariable and multivariable analyses. CONCLUSION: Among young patients, S. aureus was the most predominant pathogen present in bacterial skin infections. Resistance to high numbers of antibiotics and the use of non-systemic antibiotics were associated with lower treatment response. First-generation cephalosporins may be the most effective first-line empirical regimen for bacterial skin infections treated in outpatient settings, regardless of methicillin resistance.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Cephalosporins ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Humans ; Impetigo ; Logistic Models ; Medical Records ; Methicillin Resistance ; Outpatients ; Oxacillin ; Penicillins ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin Diseases, Infectious ; Skin* ; Staphylococcus aureus

Bacteriological study, including antibiotic sensitivity tests, of 81 patients with pyodermas such as impetigo, folliculitis, furuncle, carbuncle, cellulitis and acuete infectious eczematoid dermatitis, was carried out during 4 months period from June, 1980 to September, 1980 at the department of dermatology, Han Il Hospital. The results were as follows: 1) The causative agents of impetigo in 42 patients, were coagulase positive Staphylacoccus aureus in 33, p-hemolytic Streptococcus in 6 and both organisms in R (S. aureus and 3-hemolytic Streptococcus). Coagulase negative Stgaphylococcus was not found. 2) The causative agents of superficial and deep follicultis in 23 cases, were coagulase positive S. aureus in 12, coaulase negative Staphylococcus in 5, p-hemolytic Streptococcus in 4 and S. aureus and p-hemolytic Streptococcus in 3. 3) The causative agents of cellulitis in 2 cases, were coagulase positive S. aureus in 1, and coagulase negative Staphylococcus in 1. 4) The causative agents of acute infectious eczematoid dermatitis in l4 cases, were coagulase positive S. aureus in 6, coagulase negative Staphylococcua in 1, p-hemolytic Streptococcus in 2, and two organisms in 5 (4 cases were mixed).
Carbuncle ; Cellulitis ; Coagulase ; Dermatitis ; Dermatology ; Folliculitis ; Furunculosis ; Humans ; Impetigo ; Pyoderma* ; Staphylococcus ; Streptococcus

Lyme borreliosis is a multi-systemic tick-borne infectious disease caused by the spirochaete, Borrelia burgdorferi. It has many non-specific symptoms affecting the skin, eye, musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, and central and peripheral nervous system. Typical cutaneous manifestations of lyme borreliosis include erythema chronicum migrans, borrelia lymphocytoma appearing a few weeks after the tick bite, and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans developing a few years after. The diagnosis is based on clinical findings with detection of specific Ig M and Ig G antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi. A 50-year old woman presented with an erythematous to violaceous annular patch with central scaly hyperpigmented patch on the right arm and an erythematous indurated patch on the right thigh for a month. She did not recall a deer tick bite. She had severe arthralgia on the right shoulder and myalgia on the right thigh at the first visit. Three months later, she complained of chest pain, and mild dyspnea on exertions. Serologic examinations revealed increased levels of Ig M and Ig G antibodies to borrelial antigen via ELISA, and Western blot test for Borrelia burgdorferi was positive. Her general symptoms as well as skin lesions subsided with an antibiotics (Doxycycline) and steroid therapy over 4 weeks.
Acrodermatitis ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Antibodies ; Arm ; Arthralgia ; Bites and Stings ; Blotting, Western ; Borrelia ; Borrelia burgdorferi ; Cardiovascular System ; Chest Pain ; Communicable Diseases ; Dyspnea ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Erythema Chronicum Migrans ; Eye ; Female ; Humans ; Ixodes ; Lyme Disease ; Musculoskeletal System ; Peripheral Nervous System ; Pseudolymphoma ; Shoulder ; Skin ; Thigh ; Ticks

Mycobacteriosis cutis is largely classified to localized forms and exanthematous forms and it is subdivded into five diseases in detail, each. They are 1) primary tuberculous complex, 2) lupus vulgaris, 3) tuberculous verrucosa cutis 4) scrofulo derma, and 5) tuberculosis cutis orificialis in localized ferms and 1) tuberculous miliaris disseminata, 2) lupus miliaris disserninaia faciei, 3) papulonecrotic tuberculid, 4) lichen scrofulosorom and 5) ervthema induratum in exanthematous forms.Rich(1944) insisted on that, the pathogenesis of cutaneous tuberuculosis was essen tially the sarne as that for tuberculosis in general. He said that aII forms of cutaneous tuberculosis were produced by the local action of the bacilus of tuberculosis. In the formerly termed true tuberculosis such as lupus vulgaris, the microorganisrns were found in varing numbers in the lesions, and animal inoculations of tissue were successful, In other forms represented by the tuberculids, the bacillus of tuberculosis was found only in the earilest stages before the true clinical and histological picture had developed, Its short lived existence in this forms was explained by the allergic statc of the tissues and this fact exnlained the failure to find the microorganisms in the lesions, or reproduced the affection by inoculations in animals, in cases sufficiently developed to be recognizable clinically and histologically. The other generally accepted view is that the mycobacteriosis cutis, especially the types in the category of tuberculids are caused by the hematogenous dissemination of tubercle bacilli from a focus, often extrapulmonary in location, into the skin, where they are rapidly destoryed. spiet and Roeckie(1960) agreed with above menitioned plausible theories with the background of their hypothesis, that was the skin was hyperegic, And Miescher(1951) also insisted that, skin had a decreased immunologic resistance. But according to Flegel(1957), if the skin was in a state of hyperegic reaction, the focus from which the dissemination was taking place was also should be in a hyperegic state and vice versa should be right, And moreover, Suizberger(1940) declared that whenever microorganisms or their products were being overcome or neutralized by local lmmunologic reactions, tubercles or tubercles or tuberculoid structures had a tendency to appear. So the theories of different immunologic state between the skin and focus were discarded. After that many authors proposed three factors against a tuberculous etiology of tuberculids. First, inoculation of tissue from lesion into guinea pigs and culturing of such tissue have given no evidence for tuberculosis. Second, active tuberculosis occurs no greater frequency in patients with tuberculids than in the general population. Third, tuberculids does not respond to antituberculous treatment but responds to the adminiatration of corticosteroids. According to Eberhartinger(1963), Schneider and Undeutsch(1965), in erytbema induraturn the primary event is a vasculitis of subcutaneous arteries and veins. And any fat necrosis following vascular damage can develop a tubereuloid appea- rance. Lever(1967) declared with self confidence that it was a relic of the times- when a tuberculoid histology was tantamount to tuberculosis. In this condition we decided to clarify that whether the mycobacteriosis cutis, especially the disease in the category of tuberculids, could be originated from mycobacteria tuberculosis in fact or not. Eleven patients, whose clinical diagnosis were skin tuberculosis or very similar to those diseases such as erythema. nodosum, were biopsied by 5mm puncher after 2% procaine injection on their two of skin lesions, the early one for the culture of tubercle bacilli and the oId one for histopathological study, on the O.P.D. of dermatologic department in Severance Hospital. Those biopsied material of early lesion was digested with proper amount of 4% NaOH and fragmented in tissue grinder about 10 minutes. After that, it was centrifuged in rotating speed of 3,500 r.p.m. for 30minutes, and neutralized by 8% HCl after adding phenol red drop by drop. Again it was centrifuged by same as previous method and its supernatant was discarded. The remnants of precipitin was inoculated on Ogawa's nutrient tuberculous media in incubator at 37C. Finally the acid-fast tubercle bacilli have been grown on the Ogawa's media three months after its first inoculation. The inoculation material was biopsied from the patient of eighteen year-old girl, whose clinical and histopathological diagnosis was erythema induratum. From the result of this study, we got the strong confidence that in spite of many authors powerful countertheories and the extremely poor harvesting of its culture, the erythema induratum can be or in evidently caused from mycobacterium tuberculosis. It may be early days yet to say that erythema induratum is originated fromtubercle bacilli but it is considered to be a truth in Korea, with the result of this study.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Animals ; Arteries ; Bacillus ; Diagnosis ; Erythema ; Erythema Induratum ; Fat Necrosis ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Humans ; Incubators ; Korea ; Lichens ; Lupus Vulgaris ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Phenolsulfonphthalein ; Procaine ; Skin* ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous* ; Vasculitis ; Veins

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome is a superficial blistering skin disease caused by exfoliative toxins of Staphylococcus aureus. Adult cases are rare but accompanied by high mortality rates and poor prognoses. A rapid diagnosis, including distinguishing this disease from toxic epidermal necrolysis, and immediate treatment are essential. An increasing number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus cases has been reported recently, which further complicates the treatment options. OBJECTIVE: We performed this study to evaluate clinical features and courses, and to investigate microbiological and histological manifestations of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in Korean children and adults. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed, among 14 children (including 2 neonates) and 3 adults, medical records, clinical photographs, microbiological results and histological findings, including frozen section on the blister roof and Tzanck smear in some patients. RESULTS: The adult patients had longer disease durations than children (mean 24.7 versus 9.9 days). One adult patient died of pneumonia and sepsis. The children recovered without complications. All of cultured Staphylococcus aureus in 11 of the 17 patients were methicillin-resistant. On the frozen sections, the roof of the blister consisted of the uppermost epidermis. Taking specimens from fresh blisters was important for clear diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Adult patients had longer disease durations and poorer prognoses than children. The frozen section on the roof of fresh blister and the Tzanck smear were convenient methods for early and dependable diagnosis. Given the prevalence of methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, treating the condition with antibiotics covering this strain should be considered.
Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Blister ; Child ; Epidermal Necrolysis, Toxic ; Epidermis ; Exfoliatins ; Frozen Sections ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Medical Records ; Methicillin Resistance ; Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ; Pneumonia ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Skin Diseases ; Sprains and Strains ; Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome ; Staphylococcus aureus

Cutaneous tuberculosis is an infrequent form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. It is often clinically and histopathologically confused with various cutaneous disorders. A 36-year-old man attended our clinic with slowly progressive, asymptomatic, annular skin lesions on both the thighs and buttocks for 10 years. He consulted with many physicians and was improperly treated with an oral antifungal agent for several months under the diagnosis of tinea cruris, but no resolution of his condition was observed. A diagnosis of lupus vulgaris was made based on the histopathologic examination and the polymerase chain reaction assay. Anti-tuberculosis therapy was administered and the lesions started to regress.
Adult ; Buttocks ; Humans ; Lupus Vulgaris ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin ; Thigh ; Tinea ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous