Iranian Journal Of Dermatology
Volume:17 Issue: 4, Winter 2014

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin. The etiology of psoriasis is not known exactly. Recently, it has been suggested that an imbalance in the oxidant- antioxidant status due to an increased reactive oxygen species production and/ or deficient function of the antioxidant system may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant defense status in patients with psoriasis and to look for a correlation, if any, between the antioxidant defense status and the severity of psoriasis. Sixty patients with psoriasis and an equal number of age and sex matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and antioxidant potential (AOP) were measured in cases as well as controls. Patients with psoriasis were found to have significantly higher levels of plasma SOD (P < 0.001) and MDA (P < 0.001) and lower levels of GSH (P < 0.001) than controls. Plasma AOP was not significantly different between patients and controls(P= 0.822). The results of our study support the hypothesi of an imbalance in the oxidant –antioxidant status in psoriasis, which could contribute to the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Pityriasis rosea (PR) is a common papulosquamous skin disorder that is suspected to have an infectious etiology. We aimed to study the role of human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) in the pathogenesis of PR. We used immunohistochemical (IHC) assays to detect HHV-6 in patients with PR. Fifty-one patients with PR and 35 age and sex matched healthy control samples were enrolled in the study. The intensity and percentage of cell staining for HHV-6 infection were evaluated and recorded. The intensity of IHC staining was negative in 25 (49.01%) patients and 24 (68.58%) control samples while it was +1 in 6 (11.77%) patients and 11 (31.42%) control samples, +2 in 4 (7.85%) patients and +3 in 16 (31.37%) of them. The incidence of moderate and intense staining for HHV-6 was significantly higher amongpatients with PR than the control group (P value < 0.01). We concluded that HHV-6 infection may play a role in some patients with PR. The rate of HHV-6 infection was significantly higher in PR patients than the control group.

The diagnosis of herpes simplex virus may require virological confirmation. Tzanck smear is an old, rapid, cost effective but nonspecific method that has been recently re-evaluated as a method for the diagnosis of herpes virus infection. This study was conducted to compare Tzanck smear and viral culture in thediagnosis of herpes simplex virus infection in patients clinically suspected to be infected with this virus. Materials obtained from a fresh vesicle were used to prepare Tzanck smears and viral cultures. In this study, 40 (71.4%) of the 56 samples were culture positive while Tzanck smears were positive in 36 (64.3%) patients. We found that the sensitivity and specificity of the Tzanck test was 90% and 100% respectively when compared to cell culture. Moreover, the positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the Tzanck test was 100% and 80%, respectively. The Tzanck smear has its limitations but is still a suitable rapid, easy, and cost effective diagnostic method for herpes simplex virus infections, especially when viral culture or other virological methods are not available.

Lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that may involve mucocutaneous tissues. The main aim of our study was to evaluate the frequency of oral and genital lichen planus in men and women affected by skin lesions. A total of 132 patients with clinical and histopathological diagnosis of lichen planus were evaluated for oral and genital involvement. All data was analyzed by SPSS version 19. Chi square test and t-test were used for statistical analysis. Of 132 patients enrolled in this study, 72 were men and 60 were women. Genital and oral lichen planus were diagnosed in 59 (44.7%) and 26 (19.7%) patients, respectively. Genital lichen planus was observed in 43 men (59.7%) and 16 women (26.7%). Chi – square test showed a significant association between genderand genital involvement. Oral lesionswere detected in 17 (23.6%) male patients and 9 (15%) female patients but the association between gender and oral involvement was not statistically significant. High rate of oral and genital involvement in lichen planus in our study reveals the need for evaluating all mucosal surfaces in patients with lichen planus even if they are asymptomatic.

Psoriasis is an immune mediated skin disorder which is mainly characterized by abnormal proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes. It is believed that Debaryomyces hansenii (Candida famata) can colonize skin and mucous membranesof psoriatic patients and exacerbate psoriatic lesions via toxins, antigens, and proteins. The aims of this study were to evaluate Debaryomyces hansenii colonization and its protein profile in psoriatic patients. Fifty-one patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 51 healthy individuals were enrolled in the study. Skin and oral specimens from all participants were cultured on the CHROMagar Candida medium. Isolated yeast like fungi were identified using the sequence of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA gene. Debaryomyces hansenii proteins were analyzed using Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate- Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Debaryomyces hansenii was only isolated from the oral cavity of 7.84% of the patients. The extracts obtained from various Debaryomyces hansenii isolates had 45 protein bands, which ranged from 18 to >180 kDa. Secretory proteins were seen only in two isolates, which ranged from 35 to100 kDa. Debaryomyces hansenii can colonize oral cavity of patients with psoriasis. In addition, various Debaryomyces hansenii isolates have different somatic proteins, which may have a role in provocation and exacerbation of psoriasis.