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A letter to the editor is presented which evaluated the associated depressive symptoms and serum melatonin levels in patients with psoriasis.

Epidermal nevus syndromes are rare conditions, characterized by different types of keratinocytic or organoid epidermal nevi in association with ocular, neurological, and skeletal manifestations. We present a case of late onset epidermal nevus with hypertrichosis and hemihypertrophy of face. Genetic analysis did not reveal presence of FGFR3 or PIK3CA mutations. The patient has features that cannot be categorized into the present well-known syndromes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Leprosy can have diverse cutaneous and occasionally perplexing presentations. We report an unusual case of lepromatous leprosy ( LL) with annular lesions resembling erythema gyratum repens. Report A 55-year-old man presented with a symmetrical, hypopigmented, and erythematous rash of bizarre appearance over the lateral aspect of the upper arm, and anterior and posterior aspects of the trunk of two months' duration. He gave a history of self-resolving episodes of bilateral pedal edema, and numbness and pricking sensations in both the hands and feet, which had occurred intermittently over the previous six years. An ulcer measuring 2 cm in size was present over the adjacent surface of the right first and second toes. The bilateral ulnar and radial cutaneous nerves were symmetrically thickened. Results Slit-skin smears revealed numerous acid-fast bacilli. Skin biopsy from the trunk showed collections of histiocytes, lymphocytes, and plasma cells in the dermis and around the blood vessels. The patient was diagnosed with LL and started on multibacillary multi-drug therapy. Conclusions Lepromatous leprosy can have varied clinical manifestations and is often a great imitator. However, the skin smear positivity, even in normal skin, symmetrical cutaneous and peripheral nerve involvement, and histopathology in the present patient were indicative of LL. This report highlights a rare presentation of leprosy. Clinicians should be aware of these rare manifestations as lepromatous cases still occur in certain regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses his career with the journal that started in January 2008, how he helped achieve their goals, the condition of the publication industry in India, and his achievements as the editor-in-chief.

The author reflect on whether adult onset atopic dermatitis(AD) is present in India. They say that adult onset AD's characteristic manifestation is inflammatory eczema with lichenification. They say that existing criteria for diagnosing AD must be validated and modified or else many AD cases would not be detected in adults.

Genital seborrheic keratosis (SK) is a rare entity, which can be easily misdiagnosed as genital warts. Dermoscopy is a useful tool to make diagnosis of SK in such cases. We report a 50-year-old woman with a large polypoidal growth on the external genitalia. Dermoscopic examination showed fissures and ridges, cerebriform appearance, and comedo-like openings consistent with SK. The histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of SK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article about the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) in the previous issue.

A letter to the editor is presented about a case of lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei (LMDF) in a man with typical morphology of the lesions with extensive facial lesions and extrafacial localization.

A biography of Henry Vandyke Carter, a British national physician based in India, is presented. Carter was born in May 22, 1831 in Yorkshire, England and married to Mary Ellen Robison with two children. During his stay at St. George's Hospital, he worked with Henry Gray as illustrators of Gray's anatomy book where his expertise on drawing pictures was showed. Moreover, he also joined the Bombay Medical Service as assistant surgeon in January 1858. Carter died of tuberculosis on May 4, 1897.

The article presents a case study of a 4.5-year-old boy with a history of spontaneous and trauma-induced blistering in hands and feet since birth. It notes that examination reveals that there was multiple bullae and crusted ulcers in palms and palmar aspects of the fingers, as well as mild contractures and resorption of the terminal phalanges of the fingers. It reveals that the patient has dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DFB) which is evident in the linear arrangement of perforating lesions.

The article discusses the art and science of medical poster presentation. It stresses the importance of understanding the poster as a distinct form of research work presentation. It outlines the parts of a scientific poster, including the background, text and graphics. It notes that the title should be in the largest font which is proportional to importance. It suggests that the poster should be planned and prepared ahead of time for further editing of typographical and grammatical errors.

A 2-year-old male child was diagnosed with erythrokeratoderma variabilis, and showed an excellent response to low-dose isotretinoin, with remarkable improvement in all the affected areas within just 2 weeks of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eccrine spiradenoma (ES) very rarely presents in a linear or zosteriform distribution. It may be associated with foci of various other appendageal tumors. We report a 14-year-old boy who presented to us with multiple nodules in a linear distribution in the posterior aspect of the right lower limb since 2 years of age. The lesions became significantly painful for the past 2 years. Histopathology revealed dermal lobules of ES with smaller foci of chondroid syringoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) varies widely from region to region in our country. Aims: To highlight the pattern of STIs and the profile of patients with HIV infection in STD patients as seen at our hospital. Methods: A retrospective chart analysis of clients attending STI clinic, JIPMER, Puducherry, from June 2004 to June 2006 was done. Results: A total of 866 clients attended our STI clinic, out of whom 435 (50.2%) had proven STI. STIs were more common in men, with a male (290): female (145) ratio of 2:1. Their age ranged from 1 year to 75 years (mean age = 32.38 years) with the maximum number of patients in the age group of 21-30 years, while children constituted only 2.8%. Herpes genitalis (107 patients, 32.8%) was the most common ulcerative STI, while genital wart was the most common nonulcerative STI (56 patients, 17.1%). Non-gonococcal urethritis (46 patients, 14.1%) was more common than gonococcal urethritis. HIV infection was the most common STI in our study, at an alarmingly high rate of 34.5% (151/435). HIV seropositivity was more common in patients who presented with ulcerative STIs than with nonulcerative STIs. Conclusions: Herpes genitalis was the most common ulcerative STD, while genital wart was the most common nonulcerative STI in our study. The prevalence of HIV among STI clients in India has been on the rise, but has quite alarmingly become the most common STI in our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granuloma multiforme (GM) is a reactive skin disorder of unknown etiology, characterized clinically by confluent annular lesions and histologically by focal necrobiosis and histiocytic granulomas. GM is significant because of its clinical resemblance to tuberculoid leprosy, with which it can be confused. Here, we report a case of granuloma multiforme from India in a 70-year-old male farmer, with multiple asymptomatic large annular rings of papules over the back and thighs on photodistributed sites. Histopathology helps to clinch the diagnosis and differentiate from similar clinical and histologic mimics such as granuloma annulare, tuberculoid leprosy, actinic granuloma and annular sarcoid. Nevertheless, a very high degree of suspicion is required to diagnose GM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented about the response of the tumor d'emblee to methotrexate and prednisolone.

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic papulosquamous dermatosis in which both skin and mucous membranes may be involved. To date, there have been only five reports of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients with hypertrophic LP. In the present report, we describe a 37-year-old female who presented with widely distributed, hyperpigmented, pruritic scaly lesions involving the face, trunk, and upper and lower extremities for one month. She also had swelling of both lower legs with low grade fever for past one week. She was diagnosed to be a HIV-positive patient who had severe, widespread hypertrophic LP lesions along with acute eruptive lesions of LP. These LP lesions were a presenting feature of HIV infection in our case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article talks on various issues related to dermatology. It mentions that both skin lightening cosmetics and toiletries are commonly used in Africa, with active ingredients like hydroquinone, mercury, and corticosteroids. It notes that the systemic glucocorticoids (SG) are used to treat dermatologic patients, wherein patients usually receive medium to high doses of steroids at the start of treatment, with an unpredictable taper.

A 25-year-old male, who was a known case of oculocutaneous albinism presented to us with right inguinal swellings of six months' duration. He gave a preceding history of a similar lump in the right thigh, which was excised at the Chennai Government Hospital. He was diagnosed to have oculocutaneous albinism with actinic keratoses, with multiple squamous cell carcinomas (with metastatic deposits in the right inguinal region) and cutaneous horns. The case is reported to highlight preventive aspects in the management of albinos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pityriasis rosea is a common, acute exanthem of uncertain etiology. The exact cause of pityriasis rosea is not known but various hypotheses have been postulated incriminating infective agents such as viruses, bacteria, spirochete and noninfective etiologies such as atopy and autoimmune causes have also been investigated. Aim: We undertook a study to investigate the role of Streptococcus haemolyticus in the causation of pityriasis rosea and study the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and ASLO titer in patients with pityriasis rosea. Materials and Methods: The study included 20 patients with pityriasis rosea attending the outpatient dermatology department at JIPMER hospital during the period from June to December 2004. Corresponding number of age- and sex-matched controls were chosen from amongst healthy individuals and patients attending skin OPD with dermatological disorders other than pityriasis rosea. Results: On analyzing the data collected from 20 cases of pityriasis rosea, the average age was found to be 15.3 years and ranged from 5 years to 30 years. The male to female ratio was found to be 1.5:1. The average duration of illness was 14.5 days (median) and 29.3 days (mean). CRP was negative in all the cases as well as the controls. ASLO titer was found to be raised in 2 (10%) cases, while it remained below the critical value in all the controls. On comparing the cases and controls, the raised ASLO titer in the cases was found to be not statistically significant (p = 0.147). From the throat swab culture, Streptococcus haemolyticus was isolated from only one case and none of the controls. This finding was not statistically significant (p = 0.310). Conclusion: As per the findings of the present study, we arrived at conclusion that there is no association between streptococcus pharyngitis and pityriasis rosea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 30-year-old, previously healthy, nulliparous married woman presented with painful genital ulceration of 1 month duration. She was admitted with a diagnosis of chronic genital herpes with oral thrush and pulmonary tuberculosis. ELISA test for antibodies against HIV was positive for both the partners. She was treated in isolation ward with four-drug regimen of antituberculous therapy (ATT), oral cloxacillin oral fluconazole and acyclovir 400 mg three times daily. The genital lesions completely resolved after treatment with acyclovir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented about chondroid syringoma of the eyebrow and elbow.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article on the mimicking of isolated scalp collagenoma to cutis verticis gyrata.

A 28-year-old man came to us with a solitary skin colored, mildly tender nodule of 6 months duration on the dorsum of the right hand. On histological examination, multiple dilated ducts without apparent continuity with the surface were found in the dermis. These dilated ducts had branching tubules with eosinophilic amorphous material filling most of the lumina. The peripheral cells of the tubules resembled myoepithelial cells, whereas the luminal border cells were cuboidal or low columnar. Papillary projections arising from the inner cells were seen extending into the lumen. These features were diagnostic of a rare tumor, papillary eccrine adenoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 50-year-old man with skin patches who was diagnosed with acute infectious purpura fulminans (PF) caused by Group A β-hemolytic Streptococci (GABHS) and mentions the efficacy of antimicrobial therapy for the treatment.

A letter to the editor regarding the medical condition of a 65-year-old man with seborrheic keratosis (SK) is presented.

The article presents a study of congenital triangular alopecia in a one-year-old girl presented with triangular alopecia on the scalp since birth.

The article presents a study of a 40-year-old male with thickening and furrowing of skin over face and scalp, as well as at eyelids, cheeks and chin, with seborrhea and open sebaceous pores.