Two simultaneous mycetomas caused by Fusarium verticillioides and Madurella mycetomatis

Mycetoma is a chronic granulomatous disease, classified into eumycetoma caused by fungi and actinomycetoma due to aerobic filamentous actinomycetes. Mycetoma can be found in geographic areas near the Tropic of Cancer. Mexico is one of the countries in which actinomycetoma is endemic. We report an extraordinary case of an adult male with double eumycetoma caused by Madurella mycetomatis and Fusarium verticillioides on both feet

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Evaluation of Demodex folliculorum as a risk factor for the diagnosis of rosacea in skin biopsies. Mexico′s general hospital (1975-2010)

Context: Rosacea significantly affects the quality of life and its pathophysiology is not well understood. It has been suggested that the presence of Demodex folliculorum in the affected skin could be related to the development of rosacea. Aims: To study the risk for association between the presence of D. folliculorum in skin biopsies and the diagnosis of rosacea. Settings and Design: Analytical, observational, retrospective, case-control study. Materials and Methods: Skin biopsies of patients diagnosed clinically as rosacea and the same number of controls were studied. The controls were selected among the facial skin biopsies that were not diagnosed as rosacea. All the slides were analyzed for the presence of D. folliculorum and the density of the infestation was assessed. Statistical Analysis Used: Absolute/relative frequencies, mean, standard deviation, odds ratio (OR), Chi square and Independent Student t-test with Epi Info v. 3.4.3͹ . Results: D. folliculorum was present in 80% of the skin biopsies of rosacea patients and in 30% of the controls. The risk of suffering rosacea was increased among persons infested with the mite (OR = 9.33 [95% confidence interval: 2.85-30.60]; P = 0.0001). The mean infestation density among the cases was 1.908 for every 10 high-power fields while it was 0.718 among the controls ( P < 0.005). There were no statistically significant differences among the groups with regard to sex and age. Conclusions: The presence of D. folliculorum in skin biopsies is associated with the diagnosis of rosacea. The infestation density was increased among the patients with rosacea

Two simultaneous mycetomas caused by Fusarium verticillioides and Madurella mycetomatis

ABSTRACT Mycetoma is a chronic granulomatous disease, classified into eumycetoma caused by fungi and actinomycetoma due to aerobic filamentous actinomycetes. Mycetoma can be found in geographic areas near the Tropic of Cancer. Mexico is one of the countries in which actinomycetoma is endemic. We report an extraordinary case of an adult male with double eumycetoma caused by Madurella mycetomatis and Fusarium verticillioides on both feet

Myxoid neurofibroma: An unusual presentation

Myxoid neurofibroma (MN) is a benign tumor of perineural cell origin, which is demonstrated with a positive immunohistochemical staining for S-100 protein. The most common locations of the MN are the face, shoulders, arms, periungual and in the feet. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a trunk location is reported. MN should be included in the differential diagnosis of tumors on this location

MYXOID NEUROFIBROMA: AN UNUSUAL PRESENTATION

Myxoid neurofibroma (MN) is a benign tumor of perineural cell origin, which is demonstrated with a positive immunohistochemical staining for S-100 protein. The most common locations of the MN are the face, shoulders, arms, periungual and in the feet. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a trunk location is reported. MN should be included in the differential diagnosis of tumors on this location

Post-burn hypertrophic scars are characterized by high levels of IL-1β mRNA and protein and TNF-α type i receptors

Post-burn hypertrophic scars are characterized by increased collagen synthesis and hyperplasia, and may be associated with erythema, pain, dysesthesia, pruritus, and skin border elevation. Although the etiopathogenesis of hypertrophic scarring remains unclear, proinflammatory and profibrogenic cytokines are known to play an important role in general skin dysfunction. This study assessed mRNA expression, proteins, and type I receptors of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β) in normal skin, normotrophic and post-burn hypertrophic scars. Skin biopsies were obtained from 10 hypertrophic and 9 normotrophic scars, and 4 normal skin sites. Only post-burn scars covering more than 10% of the body were included. Ex vivo histopathological analysis evaluated scar maturity, in situ hybridization assessed mRNA expression, and cytokine protein and cytokine/cell colocalization were performed using single- and double-label immunohistochemistry, respectively. IL-1β is overexpressed in hypertrophic scars at the post-transcriptional level, associated primarily with keratinocytes and CD1a+ cells. Type I receptors for TNF-α are overexpressed in blood vessels of hypertrophic scars. The coordinated overexpression of IL-1β and TNF-α type I receptor may maintain the fibrogenic phenotypes of hypertrophic scars, even those in "remission"