Quality of life in patients with scabies in Erbil, Iraq

Background and objective: Scabies, known as the seven-year itch, is a contagious skin infestation by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei that causes a pruritic skin eruption. Scabies is endemic in most of the communities of the developing world. This study aimed to assess the quality of life of scabies patients, taking into consideration the demographic profile and clinical presentation of patients in Erbil. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 107 scabies patients attending a private dermatology clinic were recruited. Dermatology Quality of Life Index questionnaire was used for data collection. Results: More than half (51.4%) of the patients were less than 30 years of age, including 58.9% males, 70.1% of them were married, and 67.3% were living in the urban area. More than 84% of the study sample’s quality of life was very large and extremely large affected. The overall mean of the quality of life scores was 14.95±4.5 with no significant association between the overall quality of life scores to disease severity and certain sociodemographic characteristics of the patients. The mean scores of the two domains of embarrassment and shopping were significantly associated with the male gender (P = 0.003 and 0.021, respectively). However, 40.2%, 35.5%, and 29% of the patients reported that the disease affected very much on their shopping, clothing, and working activities, respectively. Conclusion: The disease had caused a significant effect on patients' lives, with no significant association between the severity of the disease and overall quality of life scores. The disease in its mild, moderate, and severe forms adversely affected patient lives. The commonest quality of life scores were those in the range of 11-20. Keywords: Quality of life; Scabies; Erbil; Iraq.

DERMATITIS ULCERATIVA EN RATONES BALB/c Cmedc: REPORTE DE 3 CASOS

Ulcerative dermatitis (UD) is a common and spontaneous condition in mice. The disease is characterized by a pruritic skin lesion, pain and a progressive evolution that often results in ulcerations. Sex, environmental conditions, dietary variation, chronic inflammation, barbering and follicular dystrophy are some predisposing factors for the clinical disease development. The aim of this study was report 3 cases of UD in BALBc/Cmedc mice from Center for Comparative Medicine, gross and histopathological lesions were described, and a review about relevance of UD in laboratory mice was made. These cases were characterized by dermatitis, ulcerative and proliferative, chronic, moderate, with neutrophils, hemorrhage and a serocellular crust. Although initial lesions may be mild, lesions in UD typically are unresponsive to treatment and euthanasia is often warranted in severe cases. This is the reason why UD is an important clinical issue that often affects biomedical research by causing problems in mice health and premature removal of animal from laboratory studies.

Atopic dermatitis in a 2-year-old child treated with individualised homoeopathic medicine: A case report

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing pruritic skin condition which is accompanied by inflammation of the affected parts. It usually develops during early childhood and has a predilection for the skin flexures. Approximately 70% of cases start before the age of 5 years: Only 10% begin in adulthood. Asthma and allergic rhinitis are comorbid in most cases. This is a case report of a 2-year-old child who presented with reddish elevated papular eruptions on the skin with severe itching. After thorough case taking and examination, the diagnosis was AD, based on the Hanifin and Rajka criteria. The patient underwent individualised homoeopathic treatment. In subsequent follow-ups, the patient’s improvement was monitored using the PO-SCORAD scale and the subjective symptoms. Marked improvement was noted within a few months. Homoeopathic treatment is effective in these cases to yield rapid improvement without any adverse effects.

Pruritus, Pain, and Depression Associated with the Most Common Skin Diseases: Data from the French Study “Objectifs Peau”

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The prevalence and impact of pruritus, pain, and other sensory symptoms in skin diseases are poorly known. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> To assess the frequency of these symptoms with dermatoses and their association with depression using data from the “Objectifs Peau” survey. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A representative sample of 20,012 French individuals was created using the usual quota method. <b><i>Results:</i></b> When patients suffered from both pruritus and skin pain, they had a higher relative risk of psychological suffering (2.9) than those who suffered only from pruritus (1.4) or skin pain (1.2). Pruritus was reported in 48.55% of patients with acne, 43.24% with mycoses, 44.35% with warts, and 36.51% with rosacea. For skin pain, the results were 11.22%, 27.59%, and 16.13% for atopic dermatitis, acne, and warts, respectively. Other unpleasant sensations, such as tingling or burning, were also frequently reported. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Pruritus, pain, or other sensory symptoms were found to be common not only in classic pruritic skin diseases but also in acne, rosacea, or warts. The association of pruritus and pain dramatically increased psychological suffering. These symptoms must be systematically searched for in patients, especially since new therapeutic possibilities are emerging for the symptomatic treatment of pruritus.

Interleukin-31 and Pruritic Skin

Skin inflammation often evokes pruritus, which is the major subjective symptom in many inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and prurigo nodularis. Pruritus or itch is a specific sensation found only in the skin. Recent studies have stressed the pivotal role played by interleukin-31 (IL-31) in the sensation of pruritus. IL-31 is produced by various cells including T helper 2 cells, macrophages, dendritic cells and eosinophils. IL-31 signals via a heterodimeric receptor composed of IL-31 receptor A (IL-31RA) and oncostatin M receptor β. Recent clinical trials have shown that the anti-IL-31RA antibody nemolizumab can successfully decrease pruritus in patients with atopic dermatitis and prurigo nodularis. The IL-31 pathway and pruritic skin are highlighted in this review article.

Interleukin-31 as a Clinical Target for Pruritus Treatment

In recent years, the published literature has suggested the key involvement of the cytokine interleukin-31 (IL-31) in the symptomatology of pruritus, and both IL-31 and its receptor have become potential therapeutic targets for a range of pruritic diseases. Elevated levels of IL-31 or its receptor have been reported in the tissue or serum of patients with pruritic skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, prurigo nodularis, and psoriasis. Pruritus places a heavy burden on patients, and can have a negative impact on daily life, sleep, and mental health. Since current anti-pruritic treatments are often ineffective, affected patients are in urgent need of new therapies. As a result, drug development targeting the IL-31 pathway is evolving rapidly. To date, only nemolizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the IL-31 receptor, has successfully completed late-stage clinical studies. This article will highlight our current clinical understanding of the role of IL-31 in pruritic disease, and explore recent progress in drug development as well as the anticipated future advances in this field.

First case report of dermatitis associated with Leporacarus gibbus in cat

Background Leporacarus gibbus is a highly specific acarian parasitizing in rabbits, with a proven zoonotic potential. While the majority of cases of L. gibbus infestation are asymptomatic, several cases of pruritic cutaneous condition in both laboratory and pet rabbits were reported. Up to date, L. gibbus has not been linked with clinical signs in any other species than rabbits and humans. Case presentation This case report described the clinical case of a 14-month-old cat with a dermatitis linked to L. gibbus. Mites specimens were collected by brushing, followed by light microscopy examination and species identification. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of L. gibbus-related dermatitis in cat. Conclusions L. gibbus infestation should be considered as a possible differential diagnosis of pruritic skin conditions in cat.