BACKGROUND: The presence of serum varicella zoster virus (VZV) immunoglobulin M and G (IgM and IgG) aid diagnosis of and confirmation of immunization against varicella and herpes zoster. However, the relationship between serum VZV IgM and IgG and the clinical characteristics of VZV infection remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated quantitative changes in serum VZV IgM and IgG in accordance with the clinical features of varicella, herpes zoster, and disseminated herpes zoster compared with a normal control group. METHODS: A total of 922 patients were classified into 3 groups: varicella, herpes zoster, and disseminated herpes zoster. We assessed serum VZV IgM and IgG titers in association with age, severity of skin lesions, duration of skin lesions, immune status, and neurologic complications. RESULTS: In patients with varicella and herpes zoster, serum antibody titer varied significantly depending on age and the duration of skin lesions. A high serum VZV IgM titer was related to varicella or disseminated herpes zoster viremia. In herpes zoster, elevated antibody titers, especially VZV IgM, were associated with severe skin lesions and the presence of neurologic complications. CONCLUSION: Serologic data for varicella and herpes zoster varied according to clinical features. A high serum VZV IgM titer was associated with an unfavorable clinical course of herpes zoster.
Chickenpox* ; Diagnosis ; Herpes Zoster* ; Herpesvirus 3, Human* ; Humans ; Immunization ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M* ; Immunoglobulins* ; Skin ; Viremia

No abstract available.
Anetoderma* ; Granuloma Annulare* ; Humans ; Infant*

No abstract available.
Osteoarthropathy, Primary Hypertrophic* ; Peptic Ulcer* ; Polyps* ; Stomach*

Destruction of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) is a common pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Characteristics of PD patients include bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, tremor at rest and disturbances in balance. For about four decades, PD animal models have been produced by toxin-induced or gene-modified techniques. However, in mice, none of the gene-modified models showed all 4 major criteria of PD. Moreover, distinguishing between PD model pigs and normal pigs has not been well established. Therefore, we planned to produce a pig model for PD by chronic subcutaneous administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), neurotoxin. Changes in behavioral patterns of pigs were thoroughly evaluated and a new motor scoring system was established for this porcine model that was based on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) in human PD patients. In summary, this motor scoring system could be helpful to analyze the porcine PD model and to confirm the pathology prior to further examinations, such as positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT), which is expensive, and invasive immunohistochemistry (IHC) of the brain.
1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine* ; Animals ; Brain ; Dopaminergic Neurons ; Electrons ; Humans ; Hypokinesia ; Immunohistochemistry ; Injections, Subcutaneous* ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Muscle Rigidity ; Parkinson Disease* ; Pathology ; Substantia Nigra ; Swine ; Tremor

Vestibular papillomatosis is an uncommon benign condition that can occur on labia minora and is considered as a normal anatomical variant of the vulva, as the female equivalent of pearly penile papules in men. Because vestibular papillomatosis resemble condyloma, it can be misdiagnosed as condyloma acuminatum and can lead to unnecessary treatment. We herein report a case of a 27-year-old women with multiple skin-colored soft papules on labia minora. The lesion was distributed symmetrically on the inner of labia minora and showed a separate base of individual projection. To the best of our knowledge, this is a unique case reported in the Korean dermatological literature.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Papilloma ; Vulva

Necrobiosis lipoidica (NL) is a chronic granulomatous skin disease typified by indurated plaques on the shin. Although this condition is strongly associated with diabetes mellitus, its etiology and pathogenesis remains unknown. Localization of NL to the lower extremities suggests that local injury may be a contributing factor to the disease. A healthy 38-year-old man presented with localized erythematous to yellowish plaques on his right thigh that developed over several years. The lesion developed in the scar where suture had been done for laceration repair 25 years ago. A biopsy specimen showed degenerated collagen with surrounding palisading granulomas. Numerous lymphocytes and multinucleated giant cells were infiltrated throughout the reticular dermis. Plasma cells aggregation was found at the dermal subcutaneous junction.
Biopsy ; Cicatrix ; Collagen ; Dermis ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Giant Cells ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Lacerations ; Lower Extremity ; Lymphocytes ; Necrobiosis Lipoidica ; Necrobiotic Disorders ; Plasma Cells ; Skin Diseases ; Sutures ; Thigh

BACKGROUND: Onychomycosis is one of the most common diseases of the nails accounting for up to 50% of all nail problems. There are many literatures on the cure rate and duration for complete cure according to the various factors. However, little information is available regarding duration required for negative conversion of KOH mount. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the duration required for negative conversion of KOH mount in patients with toenail onychomycosis according to the clinical factors and treatment regimens. METHODS: Medical records of 325 patients with onychomycosis between May 2001 and February 2012 were reviewed retrospectively to obtain the following information: age, sex, presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), extent of nail involvement, therapeutic methods, and result of KOH mount at each timepoint. RESULTS: Extent of nail involvement, old age (> or =60) and DM were negatively associated with the duration required for conversion of KOH mount. Extent of nail involvement also negatively affected the rate of conversion of KOH mount at week 48. Positive KOH mount at week 28 was negatively associated with complete cure. CONCLUSIONS: Extent of nail involvement, old age, and DM can prolong the duration required for negative conversion of KOH mount. Also, positive KOH mount at week 28 had negative effect on the cure of onychomycosis.
Accounting ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Nails ; Onychomycosis ; Retrospective Studies

Granuloma annulare is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by erythematous or flesh-colored papular eruptions of annular configuration. In a HIV positive patient, granuloma annulare could be confused with other papular diseases because it could be presented as atypical appearances due to the defect of the immune system. Moreover, without specific treatment for granuloma annulare, the lesions could be improved by systemic anti-retroviral therapy.
Granuloma ; Granuloma Annulare ; HIV ; Humans ; Immune System ; Skin Diseases

No abstract available.
Melanoma ; Nevus

Glomus tumors are benign cutaneous neoplasm, occurring in the vascular hamartomatous tubercles of the glomus body, which is a myoarterial apparatus typically found in the reticular dermis of the skin. Histopathologically, glomus tumors are composed of neoplastic cells that resemble normal glomus cells, arranged around a varying number of thin-walled, sometimes branching capillaries. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells in glomus tumors clearly exhibit smooth muscle characteristics with expression of muscle-specific actin and alpha-smooth muscle actin; whereas, the expression of CD34 is rare. In this report, we present two cases of benign glomus tumors on the subungual area and palm. Tumor cells of glomus tumor in two patients were both positive for smooth muscle actin (SMA) and CD34 immunohistochemical staining. We thought that coexpression of SMA and CD34 adds support to the interpretation of these lesions as a family of perivascular neoplasms.
Actins ; Capillaries ; Dermis ; Glomus Tumor ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth ; Muscles ; Skin