Biomedical subjects
N Ghariani
Publications and source records attributed to N Ghariani.
[Mycetomas in central Tunisia].
INTRODUCTION: Mycetomas are inflammatory pseudo-tumors containing fungal or actinomycosic-type grains. They are frequent in tropical and subtropical countries and unknown in Tunisia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 12 cases of mycetoma registered in the Dermatological department of the university hospital in Sousse (central Tunisia) over a period of 27 years, from 1974 to 2001. The diagnosis was confirmed by anatomopathological and/or mycological examination. RESULTS: The mean age at the onset was of 49 years and the sex ratio of 1. A notion of a traumatism was reported in two cases and eight patients had various agricultural activities. The mean duration of progression was of eight years. The localization was the foot in 10 cases. The mycetoma was of actinomycosic origin in 10 cases, due to Actinomadura madurae in nine cases, to Nocardia spp in one case and of fungal origin in 2 cases:Pseudoallescheria boydii in one case and Madurella mycetomi in the other. Antibiotic therapy was associated with surgical exeresis in nine cases and amputation in the other two cases. COMMENTS: Confrontation of our results with those of Tunisian series and a review of the literature, helped to specify the clinico-epidemiological characteristics and progression of mycetoma in Tunisia. These characteristics are: the rareness of the infection, the relative frequency of affection in women, the proximal involvement of the foot, the frequency of agricultural activity and the rareness of traumatic past history, the predominance of the actinomycosic origin due to Actinomadura madurae, and the need to associate surgical exeresis with the medical treatment or amputation in order to stop the progress of the disease.
[Juvenile colloid milium].
INTRODUCTION: Colloid Milium is a rare disease. It is characterized by the development, on sun-exposed areas, of clusters of yellow and translucid, hard papules, that seeps a gelatinous substance when opened. This dermatitis predominantly affects elderly patients and, exceptionally, children. We report a case of juvenile colloid milium. OBSERVATION: A 14 year-old boy consulted for papular, translucid or amber-brown lesions, occasionally hemorrhagic on the cheeks, nose upper lip and the upper edge of the helix of both ears. He was born to consanguineous parents. Living in a rural area, he was exposed to sun during agricultural activities. The lesions had progressed since he was 6 years old and were exacerbated in the summertime. There was no similar case in the family. Histological exploration of a papular lesion showed areas of atrophic epidermis and the presence of a few vacuolized keratinocytes. The epidermis was lifted by nodular lumps of amorphous eosinophilic material deposited in the superficial dermis. Staining with Congo red was negative. DISCUSSION: Juvenile colloid milium is a benign but unesthetic dermatitis. The inducing role of sun exposure is obvious, as in colloid milium of adults, but other pathogenic hypotheses also exist.