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Bedbugs are a known household scourge that also have become an increasing problem in the corporate space. These pests have adapted to the office environment, finding new harborages in which to thrive and devising new ways to obtain blood meals during the day. Bedbugs pose a considerable public health problem, and managing the epidemic will require vigilance by health care professionals as well as patient education on prevention. We present the case of a 42-year-old man with treatment-refractory pruritic papules over the bilateral posterior arms that were attributed to a bedbug infestation at his workplace.

Military pilots may be at greater risk for skin cancer, particularly melanoma. Military-specific studies are limited, but skin cancer rates in civilian pilots and aircrews have previously been examined. Risk factors for all pilots may include exposure to UV radiation (UVR) at higher altitudes, cosmic radiation, and electromagnetic energy from cockpit instruments, as well as altered sleep-wake cycles. The study of aviation-specific risk factors for skin cancer is relevant to all pilots and dermatologists who care for them.

Using potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparations in the diagnosis of superficial fungal infections is a technique that has been handed down from teacher to apprentice for more than 100 years. The technique is simple, accurate, and inexpensive; however, there is reason to believe it is falling to the wayside in favor of empiric treatment, especially in primary care settings. To continue the use of this valuable diagnostic aid, a system of teaching the KOH preparation to the next generation of physicians (ie, medical students, residents) is proposed with emphasis on facilitating the process by storing viable skin samples infected with dermatophytes for long periods of time. This technique obviates the need to find suitably infected patients before each teaching laboratory. This technique also is appropriate to refresh the skills of practicing physicians as they prepare for point-of-care testing assessments.