سید ابراهیم اسکندری

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is one of the most important health problems in Iran. There is still no effective vaccine available against human leishmaniasis and current treatment is based on chemotherapy. Conventional drugs are toxic and expensive, and drug resistance has caused the search for new treatments. Tofacitinib is a Janus kinase inhibitor that disturbs the signaling pathway of several cytokines in the immune system. The aim of this study was to evalute the effect of topical tofacitinib 2% ointment in healing cutaneous leishmaniasis in Balb/C mice.

This experimental study was performed using tofacitinib and glucantim drugs in 40 female Balb/C mice. The metacyclic form of promastigote of Leishmania major standard strain (MRHO/IR/75/ER) was injected into the footpad of the mice, the mice were divided into 4 treatment groups: tofacitinib, glucantim, tofacitinib-glucantim and control without treatment. The treatment period was 28 days. The footpad thickness of all groups was measured at the end of each week.

After the end of the treatment in the groups treated with tofacitinib, a significant decrease in the size of lesion and the footpad thickness was observed compared to the control group without treatment (P<0.01).

It seems that tofacitinib ointment accelerates lesion healing in Balb/C mice and has worked similarly to standard glucantim treatment. Ointment can be a better option for leishmaniasis treatment and due to its ease of use and no need for painful injections it can be considered as an option for the treatment of patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by sandflies and is one of the endemic diseases of Iran. With the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic worldwide, the virus will interface with endemic infectious diseases in different regions. In this study, coronavirus disease was evaluated in patients with a history of leishmaniasis referred to the Center of Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy.

A total of 91 patients with a history of leishmaniasis were studied for possible SARS-CoV-2 infection. The number of patients referred to the Center of Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy during the coronavirus epidemic was also compared with the same period before the epidemic 

A total of 60% of patients with leishmaniasis
did not report coronavirus disease. Twenty-one percent of cases had a mild corona disease, 13% had a moderate and 3% had severe corona disease. Only a single death was reported in corona patients with a history of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The number of referrals before the beginning of the corona epidemic was twice as high as during the epidemic.

In these participants, mortality and side effects of COVID-19 were significantly less reported. However, further studies are needed to evaluate the immune system and cutaneous leishmaniasis protection against COVID-19. Various factors can be effective in reducing patients during the epidemic, including not going to medical centers, reducing the number of trips, and observance of health issues.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease caused by different Leishmania species and transmitted by various sand flies. Iran is endemic to both visceral and cutaneous form of the diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological factors of leishmaniasis in patients referred to the Center for Research and Training Skin Disease and Leprosy from 1399-1400. The present study is a cross-sectional study in which every patient with suspected cutaneous leishmaniasis lesion(s) referred to the center during 1399-1400 were included. The results showed a higher number of patients with leishmaniasis are in the age group of 10 to 19 years. Among the mentioned jobs, a higher percentage was assigned to housewives in the affected women and workers in the affected men. According to the results, autumn is the most common season for cutaneous leishmaniasis. The average time from beginning to the diagnosis of leishmaniasis was 1.5-3 months and most patients showed a history of traveling to rural areas. The number of wet type lesions were higher than dry type and most of the lesions were in the hands. Most cases were reported from Isfahan province.

Onychomycosis is a common nail disorder. If left untreated, it may cause nail deformity and nail plate dystrophy. Since nails have aesthetic importance, onychomycosis may have some impact on quality of life by causing a change in the appearance of nail and/or nail dystrophy and by interfering with fine activities carried out by hand. The aim of this review is to evaluate the quality of life in patients with onychomycosis.

Tinea unguium is a common disease with worldwide distribution most commonly seen in adult patients. Trichophyton rubrum and T. interdigital are the most common causes. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of tinea unguium causative agents in a referral dermatology hospital in Tehran، Iran.

This cross sectional study was conducted in 2010 and 2011 on clinically suspicious patients for tinea unguium referred to the Mycology Laboratory، Razi Hospital، Tehran، Iran. Samples from 700 patients were examined using direct smear microscopy and culture. Direct microscopic examination of the specimens was carried out using 20% potassium hydroxide solution. The specimens were cultured on Sabourad dextrose agar culture media containing chloramphenicol and cyclohexamid (Scc). For identifying the species of dermatophytes، complementary tests were used. Frequencies and relative frequencies were demonstrated in tables and chi-square and Fisher''s exact tests were used to investigate any association between the categorical variables.

Of 700 dystrophic nail samples، 53 samples (7. 6%) were positive according to both direct examination and culture. Thirty-eight patients were males. The most common clinical type was distal subungual onychomycosis which was observed in 79. 2% of cases. The most frequent detected dermatophyte species. was T. interdigital (39. 6%) followed by T. rubrum (37. 7%). Forty-seven patients had tinea unguium on their toe nails، 4 patients on their finger nails، and 2 patients had it on both finger and toe nails. Nineteen patients had underlying diseases، and the most common underlying disease was cardiovascular disease (26. 3%).

Tinea unguium is a disease with worldwide distribution and identifying the causative agents and predisposing factors are necessary for better management of the patients.

Malassezia is a lipophilic and dimorphic fungus which has different species. Some of them can be found as natural flora on the skin and in some conditions may cause seborrheic dermatitis. The aim of this study was to identify Malassezia species associated with seborrheic dermatitis in Iranian patients, using PCR-RFLP.

In this study out of 79 patients with seborrheic dermatitis, isolates of 70 patients were positive for Malassezia species using PCR-RFLP. The Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) region was amplified by PCR employing the ITS3 and ITS4 primers and The restriction endonucleases AluI, BanI and MspAI were selected for producing distinct RFLP patterns.

M. globosa (48.6%), M. furfur (40.0%), M. slooffiae (8.6%) and M. sympodialis (2.8%), were the microorganisms responsible for the infection among participants. M. pachydermatis, M. japonica, M. dermatis, M. restricta, M. obtuse, M. nana and M. yamatoensis were not isolated from any samples.

Our findings suggest that the most common Malassezia species associated with seborrheic dermatitis was M. globosa, followed by M. furfur.

Malassezia is a lipophilic and dimorphic fungus which has different species. Some of them can be found as natural flora on skin and in some conditions may cause pityriasis versicolor. The aim of this study was to identify Malassezia species associated with pityriasis versicolor in Iranian patients, using PCR-RFLP.

In this study out of 65 patients with pityriasis versicolor to have pityriasis versicolor,isolates of 60 patients were positive. Malassezia species. using by PCR-RFLP. The Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) region was amplified by PCR employing the ITS3 and ITS4 primers and The restriction endonucleases AluI, BanI and MspAI were selected for producing distinct RFLP patterns.

M. furfur (36.7%), M. globosa (30.0%), M. sympodialis (20.0%), M. slooffiae (8.3%), M. restricta (3.3%) and M. obtusa (1.7%) were the microorganisms responsible for the infection among participants. The M. sympodialis infection was strongly correlated with the female gender (P=0.02).

Our findings suggest that, the most common Malassezia species associated with pityriasis versicolor was M. furfur, followed by M. globosa.