Bacteroides fragilis is a Gram negative nonsporulating anaerobic rod bacterium that makes up about 1 to 2% of the norrnal human colonic microflora. In 1984, Myer et al. reported that some strains of B. fragilis produce enterotoxin and cause diarrheal disease in cattle and human. Since then it has been termed enterotoxigenic B. fragilis (ETBF). In this study, we tried to detect enterotoxin gene from 37 B. fragilis strains, isolated in Korean patients, to confirm the existence of ETBF and usefulness of PCR as a rapid diagnosis method. By this method, we identified 9 ETBF strains and confirmed their pathogenesis by cytotoxicity test. No significant cross- reactivity with other anaerobes or aerobes was observed. Thus, the PCR method may be considered useful for the sensitive and rapid detection of anaerobic infections. And the entire amplified PCR mixture was ligated into a pT7Blue T-vector and transformed into E. coli. When the nucleotide sequences of cloned PCR products were compared with reported enterotoxin gene, pBF529 inserted DNA sequence was nearly in good agreement with it but pBF570 inserted DNA sequence showed some difference at nucleotide 270-300. A search for nucleotide sequence homologies revealed that pBF529 exhibited 99%, but pBF570 indicated only 90% identity with reported enterotoxin gene. According to these results, it was suggested that ETBF toxin can be differentiated into at least 2 subtypes.
Animals ; Bacteroides fragilis* ; Bacteroides* ; Base Sequence ; Cattle ; Clone Cells ; Colon ; Diagnosis ; Enterotoxins* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

BACKGROUND: Common environmental allergens play a role in the pathogenesis of urticaria via type I hypersensitivity reaction. Changes in the number of eosinophils and serum IgE in circulating blood in various allergic disorders have been reported by several investigators. However, there are only a few reports about the measurement of those numbers according to a clinical type of urticaria. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to measure the peripheral blood eosinophil and serum IgE levels in 514 patients with different types of urticaria. METHOD: We measured the peripheral blood eosinophil and serum IgE levels in 514 patients who visited the Department of Dermatology, Kyungpook National University Hospital from November 1993 to December 1996. Of these patients there were 122 with acute urticaria (23.7%), 160 with chranic urticaria (31.2%), 164 with dermographism (31.9%), 11 with acute urticaria plus dermographism (2.1%) and 57 with chronic urticaria plus dermographism (11.1%).
Allergens ; Dermatology ; Eosinophils* ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Immunoglobulin E* ; Research Personnel ; Urticaria*

No abstract available.

We report a patient with pachydermoperiostosis accompanied by hypertrophic gastritis. A 26-year-old man showed deep folds and furrows of the face and scalp, and terminal spade-like expansion of fingers and toes. Physical examination revealed no abnormalities except a grotesque appearance. Results of routine laboratory tests were unremarkable. Mild periosteal reactoins of both femurs and humeri were noted on long bone series, and hypertrophic gastritis on fibroscopic examination drew our attention. The relationship between pachydermoperiostosis and hypertrophic gastritis is uncertain. However it is probable that hypertrophic gastritis may be the endodermal counterpart of the ectodermal manifestations of pachydermoperiostosis.
Adult ; Ectoderm ; Endoderm ; Femur ; Fingers ; Gastritis, Hypertrophic* ; Humans ; Osteoarthropathy, Primary Hypertrophic* ; Physical Examination ; Scalp ; Toes

BACKGROUND: Many physiologic, pharmacologic and immunologic abnormalities were reported in atopic dermatitis but the cause and pathogenesis of the disease remain obscure. OBJECTIVE: This study was done to investigate the systemic immunologic abnormalities in atopic dermatitis. METHOD: To evaluate the cell mediated immunity, me quantified pei ipheral blood T lymphocytes and their subsets, using flow cytometery, and assessed plasma neopteiin levels by means of radioimmunoassay. To evaluate the abnormal humoral immunity, we assessed the serum IgE levels by means of enzyme-immunoassay. RESULTS: Mean proportions of peripheral blood T lymphocytes and, heir subsets in atopic Dermatitis patients were within normal limits. Hut the suppvessor/cytotoxic T lyrphocytes(T8) were significantly decreased in the group of se"ere atopic dermatitis compared with the group of mild atopic dermatitis(P<0.05). Plasma neopterin lervels in the group of atopic dermatitis were found to be significantly elevated as compared vith the control group(P<0.01), but no significant cifference was found between the mild and severe group of atcpic dermatitis(P>0.05). Mean serum IgE levels in the patients with atopic dermatitis were higher than reference value. But there was no significant difference between the mild and severe atopic dermatitis group. Serum IgE levels ivere negatiiely correlated with T8(r=-0.3774, P<0.05) and positively with T4/T8 ratio(r =0.5007, P<0.05). Conclusions : These data;uggest that the atopic der matitis has abr ormalities in cell mediated immunity as well as elevated IgE level.
Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunity, Humoral ; Immunoglobulin E ; Neopterin* ; Plasma* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Reference Values ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets* ; T-Lymphocytes

We report a case of multiple cutaneous focal mucinosis in a 22 year-old male, who presented with multiple, asymptomatic, nodular lesions on the left upper trunk and left arm which had persisted for about one year. They were 2 to 17 mm in size, firm, yellowish, dome-shaped elevated, slightly movable papules or nodules which were distributed over the area of the left C3-7 and TI-3 sensory dermatomes. The histopathologic findings showed homogeneous mucinous material in the upper dermis. The material was confirmed to be hyaluronic add by, alcian blue stain. Some of the lesions showed improvement with intmlesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide. Such an entity, to the best of our knowledge, has not yet been reported.
Alcian Blue ; Arm ; Dermis ; Humans ; Male ; Mucinoses* ; Mucins ; Triamcinolone Acetonide

BACKGROUND: Various kinds of pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi have been isolated from the house dust, the closest environment of human beings. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose is to investigate the distribution of yeasts in house dust. METHODS: House dust was sampled from 22 families in Taegu and 56 in a rural town in Kyungpook province for 2 months from May to June, 1992. It was cultivated for years on the media containing cycloheximide (500mg/L) RESULTS: Among 78 families, 56 (71.8%) showed positive culture for yeasts in house dut;1 species in 24 (30.8%), 2 species in 19 (24.3%), 3 species in 12 (15.4%) and 4 species in 1(1.3%). Rhodotorula(Rh). Ruora was the most frequently isolated one from 36(46.2%) out of 78 families, followed by Tricosporn(T.) cutaneum 25(32.1%). Candida (C.) albicans 16 (20.5%), Pityrosporum pachydermatis 4 (5.1%) and Torulopsis candida, Cryptococcus laurentii, C. rugosa and C. guillermondii 1 (1.3%), each. CONCLUSION: Rh. rubra, T. cutaneum and C. albicans were the most important yeast species in the houst dust of both rural and raban areas.
Candida ; Cryptococcus ; Cycloheximide ; Daegu ; Dust* ; Fungi ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Malassezia ; Sweat ; Yeasts*

To determine whether computer aided sessions can effectively replace some of the labor intensive laboratories in human gross anatomy, second-year medical students at the College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University were randomly assigned to either a traditional cadaver-dissection or self-learning using intensive computer programs of gross anatomy covering the same materials. After finishing the six-week anatomy course covering the upper and lower extremities, two groups of students were tested in written and practical examinations. Even though they were tested on an actual cadaver, in a statistical analysis, the performance of thirty students in the computer-lab were not significantly different from sixty-five students group in the dissecting lab. It strongly suggestes that part of traditional gross anatomy laboratory can be replaced to a digitalized laboratory.
Cadaver ; Humans ; Learning* ; Lower Extremity ; Students, Medical

We are reporting a case of molluscum contagiosum in a 3-year-old boy who showed a good response to diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) immunotherapy. The lesions were multiple, 2 to 7mm in size, centrally umbilicated, normal skin-colored papules of 7 months' duration which were distributed on the penoscrotal area, extremities and trunk. In spite of several treatments using extraction and curettage, new lesions developed continuously. The patient was sensitized with 0.1ml of 1% DPCP solution in acetone on his right shoulder and there-after challenged with solution of varying concentrations (0.05 to 0.1%) on his left shoulder once or twice a week to maintain a mild eczema. Clinical improvement was noted 1 week after sensitization and almost all of the lesions cleared after 8 week's treatment.
Acetone ; Child, Preschool ; Curettage ; Eczema ; Extremities ; Humans ; Immunotherapy* ; Male ; Molluscum Contagiosum* ; Shoulder

BACKGROUND: The changes in lipid composition during epidermal differentiation has been reported in human and animal models. Because of the difficulties in getting adeguate specimens from human subjects, the authors used easily obtainable circumcised prepuce for lipid analysis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in lipid composition duriig cornification of the epidermis, the lipid compositions of whole epidermis and stratum corneum were analyzed by thin layer chromatography(TLC). METHODS: From circumcied prepuce whole epidermis and stratum orneum were separated by 10mM EDTA(ethylene diamine tatraacetate) in PBS(phosphate-buffered saline) or heat(60C), and 0.5% trypsin in PBS respectively. Lipids were extracted with methanolctloroform-HO mixture(4:2:1.6, v/ v, Bligh-Dyer solvent), TLC was performed and lipid composition was quantitated by photodensitometer. RESULTS: In the composition of stratum corneum lipids, sphingoliids were the highest(33.3+2.9%) followed by cholesterol, free fatty acids and cholesterol esters in cleceasing order, there were small percentages of triglycerides, cholesterol sulfate and squalene. CONCLUSION: In this study the lipid composition of epidermis was similar to that of stratum corneum rather than those of previous reports on epidermal lipids, which may indicate the regional characteristics of epidermal/stratum orneum lipids in hyperkeratotic prepuie.
Cholesterol ; Cholesterol Esters ; Epidermis* ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified ; Humans ; Models, Animal ; Squalene ; Triglycerides ; Trypsin