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Article: Association of Blastocystis hominis genetic subtypes with urticaria.
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ABSTRACT: Although intestinal parasites are a possible cause of skin disorders, there are few case reports concerning the role of Blastocystis hominis in urticaria. To clarify this association, we determined the frequency of B. hominis genetic subtype in urticarial patients by stool culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and evaluated the clinical and parasitological recovery of urticarial patients after treatment with metronidazole. Of 54 urticarial patients (group I), 18 (33.3%) were diagnosed as acute urticaria (group IA) and 36 (66.7%) were diagnosed as chronic (group IB). Thirty-three (61.1%) out of 54 urticarial (group I) patients were Blastocystis positive by stool culture and PCR. Out of these 33 patients, 21 were symptomatic and 12 were asymptomatic. The amoeboid form was found in 20 (95.2%) out of 21 symptomatic Blastocystis urticarial patients assuring their pathogenic potential. Of 50 normal control group (group II), four (8%) Blastocystis isolates were found with no amoeboid form. B. hominis subtype 3 was the only detected genotype in both groups. Of 20 symptomatic Blastocystis urticarial patients, 12 (60%) patients recovered symptomatically and parasitologically after one course of metronidazole. Recovery reached 100% on repeating the treatment for a second course with disappearance of the amoeboid form. It was concluded that acute urticaria of unknown etiology and chronic idiopathic urticaria patients who are resistant to the ordinary regimen of urticaria treatment might be examined for infection with B. hominis, in order to prescribe the proper specific anti-protozoan treatment.Parasitology Research 10/2010; 108(3):553-60. · 2.15 Impact Factor -
Article: Comparative study of human papilloma virus in untreated and ultraviolet-treated psoriatic patients.
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ABSTRACT: Psoriasis is a proliferative disease, and human papilloma virus (HPV) may be one of the causative factors underlying its pathogenesis. To study whether the presence of the virus in psoriatic patients is due to the proliferative nature of the disease or due to the immunosuppression induced in patients receiving phototherapy. Using a nested polymerase chain reaction, a skin biopsy was taken and examined for HPV expression in 20 untreated psoriatic patients, 20 psoriasis patients under phototherapy [narrow band ultraviolet B (UVB)], 20 psoriasis patients under systemic photochemotherapy (psoralen and UVA), 10 healthy controls, and 10 non-psoriatic patients under UV treatment. The virus detection rate in psoriatic patients under photochemotherapy (60%) was significantly higher (P<0.05) compared with the other groups, while the frequency of the virus in the untreated psoriatic group (0%) was statistically insignificant compared with the normal control group (20%). UV treatment may be an underlying factor predisposing patients with psoriasis to infectivity by HPV together with other factors.Photodermatology Photoimmunology and Photomedicine 04/2010; 26(2):78-82. · 1.30 Impact Factor -
Article: Prolactin level is significantly elevated in lesional skin of patients with psoriasis.
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ABSTRACT: Accumulating data point to a potential role of prolactin in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. We initiated a study including psoriasis patients (n = 15) and healthy volunteers (n = 15) as controls. Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score was evaluated, and prolactin levels in serum and blister fluid were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Prolactin levels were significantly (P < 0.01) elevated in blister fluid of psoriatic lesional skin. Correlations between PASI score and different serum prolactin levels in lesional and non-lesional skin were insignificant. Significant positive correlations of prolactin level were observed between lesional and non-lesional skin in psoriasis (P < 0.05) and between serum and clinically normal skin in both psoriasis and control subjects (P < 0.05). Locally produced prolactin may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriatic lesions.International journal of dermatology 06/2011; 50(6):693-6. · 1.18 Impact Factor -
Article: Study of Blastocystis hominis isolates in urticaria: a case-control study.
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ABSTRACT: Blastocystis hominis is a common intestinal parasite, with a prevalence in developing countries of up to 50%. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of this parasite with urticaria by determining the genotypic isotypes in the Egyptian population. In total, 54 patients with urticaria and 50 controls were enrolled in the study. Stool samples were examined and assessed by PCR. The parasite was detected in a significantly higher number (P < 0.001) of the patient group than the control group. There was no significant difference between the patients with acute and those with chronic urticaria (P = 0.2). The amoeboid form was found in 60.6% of Blastocystis-positive patients with urticaria, but in none of the healthy controls. Subtype 3 was the only isolate found in both the patient and control groups. We recommend treatment for Blastocystis-positive patients with urticaria in developing countries. The prevalence is much lower (around 10%) in developed countries, where treatment should only be considered in the absence of other possible causes of urticaria.Clinical and Experimental Dermatology 07/2011; 36(8):908-10. · 1.20 Impact Factor -
Article: A study of ApaI and TaqI genotypes of the vitamin D receptor in Egyptian patients with psoriasis.
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ABSTRACT: Vitamin D analogues have been found to be effective in treating the skin lesions of psoriasis. The therapy is thought to work through the vitamin D receptors, resulting in alteration of the proliferation/differentiation balance of the cells. Vitamin D also has an effect on T helper cells, which have a major role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. There is controversy about the association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms with psoriasis in different populations, and it is a factor that might influence the treatment of these patients. To study vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms using two restriction enzymes in a group of Egyptian patients with psoriasis. In total, 50 patients with psoriasis were examined using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis to study ApaI and TaqI genotypes of the vitamin D receptor in a sample of Egyptian patients, and compared with 50 healthy control subjects. We did not find any significant difference in ApaI and TaqI vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms between patients and controls. There is ethnic variability in vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms. The lack of significant prevalence of the studied gene polymorphisms in our population suggests that their association with other functionally known gene polymorphism might have a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.Clinical and Experimental Dermatology 12/2010; 36(4):355-9. · 1.20 Impact Factor
