Journal of Skin and Stem Cell
Volume:8 Issue: 4, Dec 2021

Melasma is a common dermatosis, presenting as ill-defined light to dark brown pigmentation of photo-exposed areas, most commonly the face. Its exact prevalence is unknown, but it is commoner in intermediate skin phototypes and women of reproductive age. Its treatment and monitoring have significance due to its chronic recalcitrant history and psychosocial impact. Various indices and tools like the Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI), Melasma Severity Index (MSI), and Melasma Quality of Life Scale (MELASQoL) have been formulated for measuring severity and treatment response. In this review, particular emphasis has been laid on melasma’s epidemiological and clinical aspects and its assessment and scoring.

The reactivated form of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is responsible for chickenpox, known as herpes zoster (HZ). Although it is a self-limiting infection, it presents debilitating and painful mucosal and dermal vesicular eruptions. Early identification and management are vital to curbing the spread of HZ infection. In this extensive review, we present an overview of HZ, including its structure, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, complications, investigations, and management. Our review also highlights the prophylaxis and treatment of complications manifested by the VZV.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in previously healthy children is more likely to be mild. However, COVID-19-related cutaneous manifestations in children can be categorized regarding their clinical manifestations. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus in this regardandexaminedall of the relevant papers published until June 28, 2021, with available full-texts.Wefoundvarious mucocutaneous manifestations after COVID-19 infection and categorized them regarding their etiology: Induced directly by the virus itself or its immunologic response, treatment-related adverse events, post-vaccination rash, and lesions seen as an indirect consequence of the pandemic such as irritant dermatitis resulting from frequent hand washing or stress-induced worsening of some chronic dermatoses such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis as a result of social isolation. Clinicians should be aware of these manifestations and advocate early isolation while encountering unexplained skin lesions to prevent infection from spreading.

Earthworms are the most important soil invertebrate and have been used for exploring potent therapeutic agents. Perionyx excavatus (Perrier, 1872) is a tropical earthworm species widely used in vermicomposting worldwide, which has a prodigious regeneration capability.

This study was carried out to isolate fluorescence-emitting microbiota from the gut of earthworm, P. excavatus, and characterize the fluorophores along with finding the symbiotic association in regenerating worms.

Gram staining was performed to selectively identify the fluorescence-emitting bacterial colonies and further confirmed using 16S ribosomalRNA(rRNA) sequencing. Thin layerchromatography(TLC), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), andFouriertransform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were carried out to separate and characterize the isolated fluorophores. Further, fluorescence microscopy was used to examine the autofluorescence property.

Gram staining results showed that the isolated fluorescence-emitting gut bacterium is Gram-positive and it is rod-shaped. Molecular characterization confirmed that the isolated fluorescence-emitting bacterium is Priestia filamentosa. Moreover, two fluorophores responsible for emitting fluorescence, known as unknown fluorescent compound 1 (CF1), and fluorescent compound 2 (CF2) were separated and partially characterized. Anti-inflammatory assays confirm that the fluorophores have very good antiinflammatory properties. In addition, these fluorophores were expressed in the epithelial cell layer of earthworm, P. excavatus, during regeneration. Notably, bright, intense fluorescence was observed high in regenerating worms compared to control worms.

Hence, these two fluorophores will be studied in-depth in the context of structural conformation, chemical composition, and functional characteristics for potential biotechnological applications.

Hypopigmentary skin disorders are the most worrisome complaints from Indian and Indian subcontinent people. Pityriasis alba (PA), polymorphic light eruption (PLE), and vitiligo are clinically look-alike conditions commonly seen in children.

We attempted to characterize the dermoscopic features of PA and PLE and differentiate them from vitiligo in the facial region in skin of color.

Dermoscopic evaluation was done using a handheld dermoscope at 10X magnification on facial lesions of a total of 60 patients with PA, PLE, and vitiligo. Dermoscopic features of all three conditions were compared and correlated with histological features.

Out of 60 patients, 30 (50%), 20 (33.33%), and 10 (16.66%) patients were diagnosed with PA, PLE, and vitiligo clinically and histologically, respectively. Dermoscopy of PA showed white structureless areas (100%), ill-defined margins (86%), faint brownish pigmentation (70%), and fine scales (70%) (P value = 0.001). Besides, 70% of PLE cases showed white structureless areas and ill-defined margins, and 10% showed faint brownish pigmentation (P value = 0.0001). Coarse scales and clustered dots were the most common findings (75%) in PLE lesions, followed by light brown background (60%), crusts (40%), and yellow clods (30%) (P value = 0.0001). Also, 40% and 35% of the PLE cases showed white and brown course scales, respectively (P value = 0.0001). Moreover, 13.33% of PA cases showed coarse white scales, and 3.33% showed a light brown background. All vitiligo cases showed a white glow appearance (100%), followed by perifollicular pigmentation, leukotrichia, and koebnerization shown by 40% of the cases (P value = 0.0001). Finally, 20% of the cases showed perilesional pigmentation and satellite lesions.

PA lesions are dermoscopically characterized by ill-defined white areas with fine branny scales, whereas PLE shows coarse brown scales, ring scales, crusts, and yellow clods along with the above findings. Vitiligo lesions are devoid of scales with various pigment network abnormalities, perilesional and perifollicular pigmentation, and leukotrichia.

To the best of our knowledge, we are reporting the first case of psoriasis vulgaris in which the lesions became extensive with marked itching and resistance to traditional lines of treatment after the use of tramadol. Thus, tramadol may be a new drug exacerbating psoriasis vulgaris that should be avoided. Tramadol increases the severity of psoriasis vulgaris and induces marked itching in these patients.

Focal dermal hypoplasia, popularly known as the goltz syndrome, is an extremely rare multisystem disorder mainly involving the skin, skeletal system, and eyes. Being an X-linked dominant disorder, focal dermal hypoplasia mainly affects females (95%) and is lethal in males. Few affected males who survive are mosaics. The mutation is found on the PORCN gene on the X chromosome. Only about 250 - 300 cases have been reported in the literature. It is a type of ectodermal dysplasia interrupting the development and functioning of the skin, hairs, nails, teeth, eyes, and the skeletal system. Accordingly, a wide variety of clinical manifestations are noticed, the diagnosis of which is primarily on a clinical basis. The present study reports one such case of goltz syndrome presented with a giant cell tumor of the right distal fibula, ie, a minor criterion for diagnosing goltz syndrome. Further detailed examination led to the diagnosis of goltz syndrome. We wish to highlight the importance of minor criteria and the major ones to diagnose goltz syndrome. The patient had skin lesions since birth and had no complaints associated with it. It was the pain and swelling associated with the giant cell tumor that brought the case to notice of physician.