Background: The atopy patch test (APT), namely the patch test with aeroallergens, is regarded as specifi c for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), but small numbers of positive APT were reported in the past also in ...Background: The atopy patch test (APT), namely the patch test with aeroallergens, is regarded as specifi c for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), but small numbers of positive APT were reported in the past also in atopic subjects without dermatitis and in healthy persons. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to the APT with house dust mites (HDM) in subjects nonaffected by AD and to compare the outcomes observed in these cases with those pointed out in AD patients, evaluating also the differences between two allergen extracts manufactured at different purifi cations and concentrations. Methods: Forty-seven atopic subjects without eczema (AWE), 33 nonatopic (NA) subjects and 77 adult AD patients were patch tested with an extract of purifi ed bodies of HDM at 20%and with another extract of whole bodies of HDM at 30%, the latter corresponding to 300 μg/g of Der p 1. The reproducibility of APT was also tested in 8 AD patients, in 37 AWE subjects and in 19 NA subjects. Results: Positive responses with extract at 20%were observed in 29(37.7%)AD, in 5 (10.6%) AWE and in 4 (12.1%) NA subjects. The APT with HDM at 30%was positive in 32 (41.6%) AD, 9 (19.1%) AWE and 4 (12.1%) NA persons. The rates of positivity and the intensity scores of responses were signifi cantly different between AD and non-AD subjects(P < 0.01). The reproducibility of the APT in the three groups was satisfactory. Conclusion: These observations lead to conclude that the APT with HDM is positive also in non-AD subjects but it is probably more specifi c for AD.展开更多
Background: Limited studies on the prevalence and risk factors for superficial mycoses are available. Objective: The aim of this paper was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for superficial mycoses (dermatoph...Background: Limited studies on the prevalence and risk factors for superficial mycoses are available. Objective: The aim of this paper was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for superficial mycoses (dermatophytes and Candida spp.) in a sample of young Italian people resident at a military school. Methods: A total of 1,024 young cadets from the Italian Navy Petty Officers School in Taranto,including 975 (95.21%)males and 49 (4.79%) females,mean age 22.5 ±3.0 years (range 18-30),were consecutively examined by the same observer. A complete dermatological examination was performed on all the subjects,and skin scrapings for microscopy and fungal culture were obtained from suspected lesions. All the subjects completed a questionnaire providing information on sports practice,swimming-pool attendance,marching,wearing shower sandals,frequent use of’gummed’shoes,history of severe traumas to the nails,presence of hyperhidrosis and history of superficial mycoses. The affected subjects were also asked if they were aware of their condition. Data were analysed by the Statistical Analysis System,version 8.0. The Fisher exact test and odds ratios were calculated. Results: A total of 33 subjects (3.2%)-were found to suffer from a mycologically confirmed fungal infection (3%by dermatophytes and 0.2%by Candida albicans ): tinea pedis/Candida intertrigo of the feet was suspected in 126 (12.1%) subjects and confirmed in 30 (2.9%),including 28 cases of tinea pedis and 2 cases of Candida intertrigo; tinea cruris/Candida intertrigo of the groin was suspected in 28 (2.7%) subjects,but confirmed in only 1 case (0.1%); onychomycosis was suspected in 64 (6.1%) subjects and confirmed in 2 cases (0.2%). The organism most frequently responsible in tinea pedis was Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (82.1%). The same species (50%) and T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (50%) were associated with tinea unguium,Epidermophyton floccosum was the only species detected in tinea cruris. Non-dermatophytic filamentous fungi ( Penicillium spp.,Fusarium spp.,Aspergillus spp. and Paecilomyces spp.),not considered pathogenic,were isolated in 48 samples. None of the risk factors analysed were significantly associated with fungal infection. Only 2 subjects out of the 33 people affected were aware of their condition. They both had tinea pedis. Conclusion: The prevalence of mycoses in sailors living in an Italian military school was lower than rates detected in other military populations. This may be due to the cadets’life style and environmental conditions. The most frequent infection was tinea pedis,mainly caused by T. interdigitale. None of the investigated risk factors were significantly associated with the disease,and most of the affected individuals were not aware of their condition.展开更多
文摘Background: The atopy patch test (APT), namely the patch test with aeroallergens, is regarded as specifi c for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), but small numbers of positive APT were reported in the past also in atopic subjects without dermatitis and in healthy persons. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to the APT with house dust mites (HDM) in subjects nonaffected by AD and to compare the outcomes observed in these cases with those pointed out in AD patients, evaluating also the differences between two allergen extracts manufactured at different purifi cations and concentrations. Methods: Forty-seven atopic subjects without eczema (AWE), 33 nonatopic (NA) subjects and 77 adult AD patients were patch tested with an extract of purifi ed bodies of HDM at 20%and with another extract of whole bodies of HDM at 30%, the latter corresponding to 300 μg/g of Der p 1. The reproducibility of APT was also tested in 8 AD patients, in 37 AWE subjects and in 19 NA subjects. Results: Positive responses with extract at 20%were observed in 29(37.7%)AD, in 5 (10.6%) AWE and in 4 (12.1%) NA subjects. The APT with HDM at 30%was positive in 32 (41.6%) AD, 9 (19.1%) AWE and 4 (12.1%) NA persons. The rates of positivity and the intensity scores of responses were signifi cantly different between AD and non-AD subjects(P < 0.01). The reproducibility of the APT in the three groups was satisfactory. Conclusion: These observations lead to conclude that the APT with HDM is positive also in non-AD subjects but it is probably more specifi c for AD.
文摘Background: Limited studies on the prevalence and risk factors for superficial mycoses are available. Objective: The aim of this paper was to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors for superficial mycoses (dermatophytes and Candida spp.) in a sample of young Italian people resident at a military school. Methods: A total of 1,024 young cadets from the Italian Navy Petty Officers School in Taranto,including 975 (95.21%)males and 49 (4.79%) females,mean age 22.5 ±3.0 years (range 18-30),were consecutively examined by the same observer. A complete dermatological examination was performed on all the subjects,and skin scrapings for microscopy and fungal culture were obtained from suspected lesions. All the subjects completed a questionnaire providing information on sports practice,swimming-pool attendance,marching,wearing shower sandals,frequent use of’gummed’shoes,history of severe traumas to the nails,presence of hyperhidrosis and history of superficial mycoses. The affected subjects were also asked if they were aware of their condition. Data were analysed by the Statistical Analysis System,version 8.0. The Fisher exact test and odds ratios were calculated. Results: A total of 33 subjects (3.2%)-were found to suffer from a mycologically confirmed fungal infection (3%by dermatophytes and 0.2%by Candida albicans ): tinea pedis/Candida intertrigo of the feet was suspected in 126 (12.1%) subjects and confirmed in 30 (2.9%),including 28 cases of tinea pedis and 2 cases of Candida intertrigo; tinea cruris/Candida intertrigo of the groin was suspected in 28 (2.7%) subjects,but confirmed in only 1 case (0.1%); onychomycosis was suspected in 64 (6.1%) subjects and confirmed in 2 cases (0.2%). The organism most frequently responsible in tinea pedis was Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (82.1%). The same species (50%) and T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (50%) were associated with tinea unguium,Epidermophyton floccosum was the only species detected in tinea cruris. Non-dermatophytic filamentous fungi ( Penicillium spp.,Fusarium spp.,Aspergillus spp. and Paecilomyces spp.),not considered pathogenic,were isolated in 48 samples. None of the risk factors analysed were significantly associated with fungal infection. Only 2 subjects out of the 33 people affected were aware of their condition. They both had tinea pedis. Conclusion: The prevalence of mycoses in sailors living in an Italian military school was lower than rates detected in other military populations. This may be due to the cadets’life style and environmental conditions. The most frequent infection was tinea pedis,mainly caused by T. interdigitale. None of the investigated risk factors were significantly associated with the disease,and most of the affected individuals were not aware of their condition.
