Ulrich Hengge

Introduction: R5-tropic viruses predominated at the time of initial HIV-1 infection and a switch to X4-tropic occurs in about 50% of patients in late-stage disease. Objective: To associate different variants of Cuban HIV-1 with the co-receptor use, and the implication for the use of co-receptor inhibitors. Methodology: Viral HIV-1 subtype was deter...

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health issue for HIV-positive individuals, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Development and implementation of a risk score model for CKD would allow comparison of the risks and benefits of adding potentially nephrotoxic antiretrovirals to a treatment regimen and would identify t...

Introduction: Cradle cap is a very common condition in infants that presents as greasy, scaly patches on the scalp within the first weeks of life. Although usually disappearing by itself, the condition worries parents because of its appearance. When removing the scales, it is crucial to prevent spot bleedings to avoid infections. The investigation...

Purpose In Cuba, viral monitoring in the post-transplant period was not routinely performed. The aim of this research is to identify the most frequent viruses that affect transplanted Cuban children, by implementing a viral follow-up during the post-transplant period. Methods The study population included all Cuban pediatric patients who underwent...

The topical calcineurin antagonist tacrolimus plays an important role in the treatment of different forms of eczema because of its favorable risk profile. In addition, different off-label indications have been clinically tested where tacrolimus ointment has achieved clinical improvement. This article discusses off-label treatment of vitiligo, sebor...

Despite the progress has been reached with Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) research, there are gaps in the knowledge of viral induced oncogenesis. The aim of the present study was to identify possible associations between HHV-8 subtypes, HHV-8 loads and clinical manifestations of HIV infected patients diagnosed with different malignancies associated wi...

In order to assess the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, the HPV genotypes and factors associated with infection, we conducted a population-based survey in a small municipality in north east Brazil among women aged between 12 and 49 years. A questionnaire regarding socioeconomic variables, reproductive life and sexual behaviour wa...

To evaluate the temporal distribution (1991-2009) and associated variation of KSHV subtypes in Cuba. Phylogenetic characterization based on the KSHV K1 gene was performed using 90 KSHV positive samples. Molecular characterization confirmed the prevalence of a wide range of KSHV subtypes (A: n=48 [A5=12]; C: n=15; B: n=22; and E: n=5). In the curren...

Wir berichten über einen Patienten mit einer kongenitalen kombinierten Immundefizienz vom Schweizer-Typ, bei dem ein rezidivierendes Erysipel auftrat. Anamnestisch erkrankte der Patient seit frühester Jugend an insgesamt 26 bakteriellen Pneumonien. Die parenterale Substitution mit Gammaglobulinen konnte zwar ein Rezidiv der Pneumonien verhindern, n...

In resource-poor settings, scabies is associated with considerable morbidity. Which factors determine morbidity and how rapidly it recedes after specific treatment is not known. Patients with scabies were recruited in three urban slums in Fortaleza, Northeast Brazil. Diagnosis was established according to dermatoscopy, skin scraping, or adhesive fi...

Scabies is a parasitic skin disease endemic in resource-poor communities in low-income countries. The best ways to diagnose scabies in this setting have not been investigated. To compare the diagnostic properties of dermoscopy, the microscopic examination of a skin scraping, and the adhesive tape test in 125 patients with a presumptive diagnosis of...

In Cuba, previous reports have shown an increase of epidemic KS, reaching a total of 120 cases by the end of 2007, despite the use of HAART. To evaluate and compare the role of human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) viral loads in different compartments of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (AIDS-KS) patients real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used...

To evaluate the pathogenic mechanisms and transmission routes involved in KSHV infection in 22 Cuban individuals who maintained close contact with epidemic KS patients, real-time PCR was used to quantify KSHV-DNA in clinical samples of plasma, saliva and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). KSHV-DNA was detected in 72.7% (16/22) of the contac...

There is a lack of reliable data on the efficacy of over-the-counter (OTC) pediculicides in Brazil. We performed ex vivo assays of eight marketed pediculicides: 1% permethrin (Kwell, Clean Hair, Keltrina, Nedax), 0.02% deltamethrin (Deltacid, Pediderm), and two "natural" products (Piolho e Lêndea, Pilogenio). We also tested 5% permethrin (Keltrina...

Typical and atypical mycobacterial infections show a dramatic increase among acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients despite highly-active antiretroviral therapy. The diagnostic challenge is to identify both typical and atypical strains from patient materials in a reasonable time. Here, we present the first case in which both Mycobacterium gas...

Recombinant human erythropoietin (Epo) is used to prevent and treat tumor-related anemia and improve quality of life in cancer patients. Recent evidence suggested that Epo may adversely affect the survival of selected cancer patients by promoting tumor growth, inhibition of apoptosis, and induction of migration. Epo unfolds its effect on the Epo re...

Bed bugs, leeches, and hookworm-related cutaneous larva migrans are skin infestations that are usually considered of minor importance because they produce discomfort rather than cause or transmit disease. Bed bugs have been increasing tremendously in high-income countries in recent years, causing distress to affected individuals and economic loss....

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of visual inspection and wet combing in pediculosis capitis (head lice infestation). Visual inspection of 5 predilection sites (temples, behind the ears, and neck) was performed first, followed by wet combing of hair moistened with conditioner. Presence of mobile stages was defined as active infestation, presenc...

We sought to study the epidemiology of scabies and to identify risk factors of severe disease in an impoverished rural community in northeast Brazil. The study was designed as a repeated cross-sectional study based on two door-to-door surveys. One survey was carried out in the rainy season, the other in the dry season. The inhabitants of the commun...

Bei gesunden Menschen und intaktem Immunsystem sind schwere Hautinfektionen selten. Wesentlich stärker gefährdet sind Immunsupprimierte, Senioren und Kleinkinder. Die Schwere bakterieller bzw. viraler Infektionen reicht von lokalen, selbstlimitierenden Infektionen bis hin zu ausgedehnter Nekrose von Haut, Muskeln und Faszien. Die häufigsten Infekti...

Skin infections are more frequent in immunodeficient patients, seniors and infants than in healthy individuals with an intact immune system. The severity of infections ranges from localized, self-limiting cutaneous infections to widespread necrosis of the skin, muscle, and fascia. The most frequent infections of the skin and mucous membranes are ca...

Die Trombidiose ist eine weltweit vorkommende Epizoonose, die durch verschiedene Arten von Laufmilben hervorgerufen wird. Klinisch finden sich nach akzidentellem Kontakt mit den parasitären Milbenlarven erythematöse Papeln und urtikarielle Plaques, teilweise mit vesikulöser Umwandlung, wobei es durch den starken Juckreiz rasch zu Exkoriationen komm...

Nebenwirkungen von Tätowierungen werden in der dermatologischen Praxis zunehmend häufig beobachtet. Die auftretenden Komplikationen können in systemische und lokale Reaktionen unterteilt werden. Der zeitliche Verlauf von kutanen Nebenwirkungen reicht von unmittelbaren Komplikationen während oder nach der Tätowierung bis hin zu Reaktionen, die erst...

Die Mycosis fungoides ist das häufigste kutane T-Zell-Lymphom und durch einen über Jahrzehnte chronisch-progredienten Verlauf gekennzeichnet. Die Auswahl der Behandlungsoptionen sollte sich stadienabhängig an der Ausdehnung und der Aggressivität der Erkrankung orientieren und die individuelle Situation des Patienten in Betracht ziehen. Nur in der F...

Mycosis fungoides is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and characterized by a chronic progressive course spanning decades. The choice of treatment options should be tailored to the stage depending on the extent and aggressiveness of the disease and taking the individual situation of the patient into consideration. Long-term complete...

Trombiculiasis is an epizoonosis that occurs worldwide and is caused by various types of chiggers. Clinical findings after accidental contact with the parasitic mite larvae include erythematous papules and urticarial plaques, to some extent with vesicular transformation, which can lead to excoriations due to the intense pruritus. Prophylaxis agains...

Side effects after tattoos are being observed with greater frequency in dermatological practice. The complications that occur can be classified into systemic and local reactions. The time course of cutaneous side effects ranges from direct complications during or following tattooing to reactions that first appear several years thereafter. The major...

Leishmaniasis includes a spectrum of different diseases that differ in their clinical appearance and severity and influence the patient's health to varying degrees. All the diseases are caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania. The simplest and most widely used classifications use the clinical features and the geographic distribution. Cutaneous...

As a result of the rise of mass tourism with increasingly cheap and exotic destinations, tropical diseases are becoming an increasingly important part of dermatology. Infection with cutaneous larva migrans is one of the most common "souvenirs" from the tropics. The disease is caused by the nematode infection with dog or cat hookworm parasites (Ancy...

Tourists in the tropics often develop reactions to bites or stings of mosquitoes, fleas, mites, ants, bedbugs, beetles, larva, millipedes, spiders and scorpions. In addition, they may have fresh or salt water exposure to sponges, corals, jellyfish and sea urchins with resultant injury and inflammation. Bacterial skin infections (pyodermias) can fol...

Zusammenfassung: Wir berichten über einen 76-jährigen Patienten, der sich bei uns wegen einer Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PrP) vorstellte. Nebenbefundlich litt der Patient an einem vor 2 Jahren exstirpierten Adenokarzinom des Kolons, in dessen Folge es zu einem Adhäsionsileus gekommen war. Nach Adhäsiolyse mit anschließender Duodenalperforation und i...

Melanoma is a complex genetic disease, the management of which will require an in-depth understanding of the biology underlying its initiation and progression. Recently, we have reported the differential regulation of a novel gene, namely ASK/Dbf4, in melanoma and suggested upregulation of ASK/Dbf4 as a novel molecular determinant with prognostic r...

DNA microarray technology is a versatile platform that allows rapid genetic analysis to take place on a genome-wide scale and has revolutionized the way cancers are studied. This platform has enabled researchers to characterize mechanisms central to tumorigenesis and understand important molecular events in the multi-step tumor progression model of...

9070 Background: Erythropoietin (Epo) is known to promote proliferation and differentiation of erythroid precursors and to prevent apoptosis. Epo receptor (EpoR) belongs to the cytokine receptor superfamily and exerts its effects via receptor homodimerization, subsequent phosphorylation of Janus kinase 2 (Jak2) and activation of signal transducers...

The molecular causes for resistance of melanoma to apoptosis are currently only partly understood. In the present study, we examined gene transfer and expression of the proapoptotic BH3-only protein Noxa as an alternative approach to chemotherapy and investigated the molecular mechanisms regulating Noxa-induced apoptosis. Noxa gene transfer caused...

Topical 5-FluorouracilDiclofenacColchicineRetinoidsTazaroteneAlitretinoinNitrogen MustardCarmustine (BCNU)Chemical peelsReferences

In this issue, Wally et al. (2008) report successful gene expression repair by spliceosome-mediated RNA trans-splicing (SMaRT), a novel achievement in molecular medicine. In their model, SMaRT was able to replace a mutation of the plectin gene in epidermolysis bullosa simplex with muscular dystrophy. This approach is particularly attractive for ski...

Taxol (paclitaxel) is a new antineoplastic drug that has shown promise in the treatment of different tumor types. However, the molecular mechanisms governing taxol-induced apoptosis are poorly understood. Activation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases is induced by a wide variety of external stress signals and may lead to apoptosis. Therefor...

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) was first described in 1874 by Hebra and Kaposi. Albert Neisser was the first to report neurological abnormalities associated with XP in 1883. XP is an autosomal recessive disease with defective nucleotide excision repair (NER). It is characterized by easily recognizable clinical hallmarks (Table 1). These manifestations...

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is associated with Kaposi's sarcoma, body cavity-based lymphoma, and Castleman's disease. Adenoviral (Ad) E1A proteins regulate the activity of cellular and viral promoters/enhancers and transcription factors and can suppress tumorigenicity of human cancers. As (i) HHV-8 and Ad may co-exist in immunocompromised patients...

Allergic symptoms can be induced by behavioral conditioning. However, the conditionability of antiallergic effects has not yet been studied. Thus, we investigated whether the effects of a histamine 1 (H(1)) receptor antagonist are inducible in patients suffering from house-dust mite allergy using a behavioral conditioning procedure. During the asso...

In this chapter, the evidence for the role of human papilloma virus (HPV) in the pathogenesis of squamous cell cancer of the skin will be reviewed. Considerable dispute exists questioning the etiological role of HPV. This is due to the low copy number of HPV DNA in skin cancers and additional cofactors such as UV exposure, immunosuppression, light...

Die Leishmaniose umfasst ein Spektrum verschiedener Krankheitsbilder, die in ihrer klinischen Ausprägung und Schwere variieren und die Gesundheit in unterschiedlichem Maße beeinflussen. Gemeinsam ist diesen Entitäten die Auslösung durch Parasiten der Gattung Leishmania. Die beiden einfachsten und am häufigsten verwendeten Einteilungen basieren auf...

HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUSES (HPV) are ubiquitous viruses causing papilloma on the skin and mucosal surfaces. Sexual transmission is the usual way of spreading genital papilloma, also called condyloma.(1) To date, more than 100 different HPV types have been defined on the basis of DNA homology. About 40 of these are associated with anogenital mucosal inf...

Malignant melanoma is one of the most aggressive and invasive metastatic tumors derived from melanocytes that have undergone malignant transformation by acquisition of genetic and epigenetic alterations. Oligonucleotide microarray-based screening of distinct stages in the tumor progression model of cutaneous melanoma identified ASK/Dbf4, as a novel...

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a multifunctional cytokine that mainly acts as an inhibitor of immune functions. A lack of functional TGF-beta leads to autoimmune disease in animal models and dysregulated TGF-beta signaling is implicated in human autoimmune diseases. To define target genes that play a part in the inhibitory role of TG...

Background: Considerable variability exists in the extent and frequency of follow- up examinations for melanoma patients between different countries, generating significantly different total costs and uncertain clinical benefits. Patients and Methods: We have analyzed the follow-up of melanoma patients under clinical and economic aspects based on t...

In unterschiedlichen Ländern (z.B. Vereinigten Königreich, Australien, Spanien, USA und Deutschland) bestehen erhebliche Differenzen in Ausmaß und Häufigkeit von Nachsorgeuntersuchungen bei Melanompatienten. Angesichts der ökonomischen Begrenzungen der Gesundheitssysteme in Deutschland und anderen westlichen Ländern sollten nur kosteneffiziente Maß...

Ceramide has been shown by many studies to induce apoptosis. Therefore, upregulation of ceramide is discussed as a novel approach for tumor treatment. However, it is unknown whether overexpression of acid sphingomyelinase releasing ceramide from sphingomyelin sensitizes cells to chemotherapy and, thus, serves as a potential target to amplify chemot...

Activation (phosphorylation) of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction through BRAF and RAS causes a variety of functional effects including cell survival and cell death. In this study, we observed high extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 phosphorylation levels in clinical melanoma metastases and various melanoma cel...

Previous studies indicated that signalling via CD95 and DR5 is greatly enhanced by the formation of ceramide-enriched membrane platforms. Here, we employed this concept to convert doses of subtherapeutic TRAIL that were unable to release ceramide and kill leukemic B-cells or ex vivo T lymphocytes, into a very effective apoptotic stimulus. Ceramide...

The suppressors of cytokine signalling (SOCS) are inhibitors of cytokine signalling; methylation of SOCS-3 has been implicated in the tumorigenesis of liver as well as head and neck cancer. This study was performed to elucidate the role of SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 in Barrett's adenocarcinoma and its precursor lesions. DNA of specimens from 19 Barrett's ad...

Alessandra Marini, MD, Martin Wagenmann, MD, Evelyn Ting, MD, and Ulrich R. Hengge, MD, MBA, have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.

A 72-year-old patient with esophageal carcinoma developed a severe hand-foot syndrome during second-line therapy with the oral fluoropyrimidine capecitabine. We also summarize the current knowledge with regard to the hand-foot syndrome and distinguish it from palmoplantar erythrodysesthesia.

Wir berichten über einen 72-jährigen Patienten, der im Rahmen einer Second-line-Chemotherapie eines Ösophaguskarzinoms mit dem oralen Fluoropyrimidin Capecitabin behandelt wurde und ein ausgeprägtes Hand-Fuß-Syndrom entwickelte. Neben der Beschreibung des Patienten grenzen wir das Hand-Fuß-Syndrom von der palmoplantaren Erythrodysästhesie ab.

Many forms of topical chemo- and immunotherapy are employed to treat skin cancers. Topical treatment is particularly attractive for field cancerization involving multiple non-melanoma skin cancers. The dermatologist must identify such patients and lesions and provide the most suited therapy.

Eine Vielzahl lokaler Formen der Chemo- bzw. Immuntherapie wird in der Dermatologie zur Behandlung von Hautkrebs angewendet. Speziell fr die verschiedenen Formen des nichtmelanozytren Hautkrebses (NMSC) in Form flchenhafter, sog. Krebsfelder (field cancerization) sind topische Therapien besonders hilfreich. Es obliegt dem Dermatologen, die adquaten...

Transmission of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) may occur through various routes including breastfeeding and sexual intercourse. We attempted to detect HHV-8 infection in nine HIV-positive couples discordant for Kaposi's sarcoma who maintained a monogamous sexual relationship for at least one year. By quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction an...

Protein microarrays are of increasing importance for high-throughput screening of fresh tissues. In our study, protein microarrays were generated by printing antibodies onto membranes to characterize protein profiles expressed by head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Cellular proteomes of 30 matched normal squamous epithelial cells and c...

To investigate the association between human CMV glycoprotein B (gB) genotypes and CMV disease, we retrospectively analysed 73 biological samples from 56 Cuban patients with different CMV-related diseases using a multiplex nested PCR for detection of the reported 5 CMV gB genotypes. All 4 main genotypes 1 to 4 were found in the clinical samples whi...

This article does not have an abstract.

Scabies has been a scourge among human beings for thousands of years. Its worldwide occurrence with epidemics during war, famine, and overcrowding is responsible for an estimated 300 million people currently infested. Scabies refers to the various skin lesions produced by female mites, and their eggs and scybala that are deposited in the epidermis,...

HIV patients develop a variety of infectious and non-infectious diseases of the skin and mucous membranes. Some of these serve as indicator diseases for a weakening immune system. While none of the dermatological complications is pathognomonic, conditions such as oral hairy leukoplakia, herpes zoster, thrush, and eosinophilic folliculitis should ma...

Lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease causing significant sclerosis, atrophy and pruritus. Treatment remains unsatisfactory, with potent corticosteroids being the most effective therapy. To conduct a multicentre, phase II trial to assess the safety and efficacy of tacrolimus ointment 0.1% for the treatment of lichen sclerosu...

Significant progress has been made in corrective gene therapy of inherited skin diseases. This includes advances in vector technology, targeted gene expression, gene replacement, and the availability of appropriate animal models for a variety of candidate diseases. In addition, an increased understanding of the uptake and trafficking mechanisms ins...