The operation of a venereology clinic in the West End of London

A period of employment at James Pringle House provided the opportunity of observing how the growing problem of sexually transmitted diseases is being dealt with in London. Paramedical staff plays a vital role in the efficient running of the clinic. Diagnostic procedures which could be adopted to advantage in Malta are discussed. It is regretted that the services of professional contact tracers are not available in Malta. Failure to chase up asymptomatic carriers leads to underestimation of the problem, and constitutes a public health hazard. While it is all right to practise Venereology with Dermatology, British experience indicates that it is more advisable to have independent V.D. clinics, especially if the incidence of Sexually transmitted diseases reaches the epidemic proportions it has done in most countries.peer-reviewe

German evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of Psoriasis vulgaris (short version)

Psoriasis vulgaris is a common and chronic inflammatory skin disease which has the potential to significantly reduce the quality of life in severely affected patients. The incidence of psoriasis in Western industrialized countries ranges from 1.5 to 2%. Despite the large variety of treatment options available, patient surveys have revealed insufficient satisfaction with the efficacy of available treatments and a high rate of medication non-compliance. To optimize the treatment of psoriasis in Germany, the Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft and the Berufsverband Deutscher Dermatologen (BVDD) have initiated a project to develop evidence-based guidelines for the management of psoriasis. The guidelines focus on induction therapy in cases of mild, moderate, and severe plaque-type psoriasis in adults. The short version of the guidelines reported here consist of a series of therapeutic recommendations that are based on a systematic literature search and subsequent discussion with experts in the field; they have been approved by a team of dermatology experts. In addition to the therapeutic recommendations provided in this short version, the full version of the guidelines includes information on contraindications, adverse events, drug interactions, practicality, and costs as well as detailed information on how best to apply the treatments described (for full version, please see Nast et al., JDDG, Suppl 2:S1–S126, 2006; or http://www.psoriasis-leitlinie.de)