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Biomedical subjects

Ronni Wolf

Publications and source records attributed to Ronni Wolf.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

"More is missed by not looking than by not knowing"[Thomas McCrae, 1870-1935].

CASE 1: A 19-year-old woman presented with a black crust on one part of the tattoo on her right leg (Fig. 1) which appeared after laser-assisted hair removal by an alexandrite laser (755 nm). CASE 2: A 28-year-old man underwent laser-assisted hair removal from his back and shoulders by an alexandrite laser (755 nm), after which he developed a burn on part of the tattoo on his right shoulder and was left with an atrophic scar (Fig. 2).

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Quinine sulfate inhibits invasion of some bacterial skin pathogens.

BACKGROUND: As some of the many patients who receive antimalarials for the treatment of noninfective inflammatory diseases (lupus erythematosus, collagen vascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and others) are also immunosuppressed because of their disease and/or treatments, and may have concomitant bacterial infections, we investigated the effect of these drugs on the growth and invasion of several bacteria that are commonly associated with skin and soft tissue infections to determine whether they could protect against such conditions and obviate the need for an additional antibiotic drug. METHODS: The effect of quinine sulfate (QS) at concentrations of 50 and 100 microm on the entry process of Enterobacter agglomerans, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae into Caco-2 cells was studied during the infection period. The invasive efficiency was expressed as the number of viable internalized bacteria obtained by counting the colony-forming units (CFUs). RESULTS: The invasive ability of E. agglomerans and S. aureus was significantly inhibited by 50 and 100 microm QS in a dose-dependent manner when the drug was added to Caco-2 cell monolayers during the infection period; however, QS had no significant effect on the internalization of P. aeruginosa or K. pneumoniae. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Antimalarial drugs are currently widely used to treat patients with autoimmune dermatologic and rheumatologic diseases, and have also been recently proposed as additional therapy for patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. These patients, who are often immunocompromised, may receive a secondary advantage from these antimalarials, which may provide some protection against staphylococci (amongst the most important human pathogens causing many superficial and systemic infections) and E. agglomerans.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2005

The putative role of apoptosis in the induction of pemphigus.

The apoptotic cell has recently been shown to play a central role in tolerizing B cells and T cells to both tissue-specific and ubiquitously expressed self-antigens, and to possibly drive the autoimmune response in systemic lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease which bears many similarities to pemphigus. We now propose a similar mechanism in the induction of pemphigus, namely, that a dysregulation in apoptosis expressed as an impairment of normal programmed cell death of epidermal keratinocytes and/or deficient and inadequate clearance of apoptotic material (specifically, desmoglein) may render it antigenic with the consequent production of autoantibodies. The fact that some thiol-containing compounds which are well-known inducers of acantholysis in vitro and pemphigus in vivo were shown to inhibit apoptosis might support our hypothesis.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2005

Herpes simplex: autoinoculation versus dissemination.

Autoinoculation and dissemination (or Kaposi's varicelliform eruption (KVE) or eczema herpeticum) of herpetic lesions are two forms of viral spread, and it is essential to differentiate the two. Autoinoculation means true infection with retrograde transport of the virus to the dorsal root ganglia of the relevant dermatome that allows the virus to remain there in a latent state for a lifetime, with periodic reactivation. Autoinoculation is, in a manner of speaking, a kind of self-infection with a virus that exists in the host. In contrast, KVE involves a spread of the lesions to the skin areas affected by another skin disease, but there is no true inoculation, i.e. the nerve endings and ganglion are not affected, and so reactivation and recurrences of these lesions will not usually occur. Four cases of autoinoculation and two of KVE illustrate the differences between these two forms of viral spread.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Update on psoriasis therapies.

New psoriasis therapies offer a great hope for the people who suffer from chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are the diseases that can be treated with biological therapy, which targets either the interaction between an antigen-presenting cell and the T-cell, or cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), that are presumed to be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris and psoriatic arthritis. Current biological therapies now seem to hold promise of potentially excellent effect, with the toxicities associated with existing therapies: phototherapy (PUVA or UVB), retinoids, cyclosporin, methotrexate (MTX). Topical therapy will continue to be used in combination with the new biological therapies for residual psoriatic plaques. In this paper, we highlight the current psoriasis treatments, new biological therapies, and their use in practice.

Biological Therapy↗
PubMed2003

Along these lines...

Non-melanotic discoloration of the skin can result from the accumulation of various internal agents (ingestion, inhalation, or injection), chemicals or drugs, such as heavy metals, amiodarone, tetracycline, clofazimine and others, or exogenous (topical) substances. Identifying the causative agent frequently requires a thorough investigation and clever detective work, including visits to the home and workplace. It is, however, rare that the patient presents at a clinic with the corpus delicti, and it is even more rare when neither the patient nor the treating physician are initially aware of it. "What is the hardest of all? That which you hold the most simple; seeing with your own eyes what is spread out before you."[J.W. Goethe quoted by J.P. Eckermann in Converstions with Goethe, May 18, 1824.]

Abdomen↗
PubMed2003

Balneotherapy in dermatology.

Balneotherapy and spa therapy emerged as an important treatment modality in the 1800s, first in Europe and then in the United States. Balneotherapy involves immersion of the patient in mineral water baths or pools. Today, water therapy is being practiced in many countries. Examples of unique and special places for balneotherapy are the Dead Sea in Israel, the Kangal hot spring in Turkey, and the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Bathing in water with a high salt concentration is safe, effective, and pleasant for healing and recovery. This approach needs no chemicals or potentially harmful drugs. There are almost no side effects during and after treatment, and there is a very low risk to the patient's general health and well-being. Mineral waters and muds are commonly used for the treatment of various dermatologic conditions. The major dermatologic diseases that are frequently treated by balneotherapy with a high rate of success are psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. The mechanisms by which broad spectrums of diseases are alleviated by spa therapy have not been fully elucidated. They probably incorporate chemical, thermal, mechanical, and immunomodulatory effects. The major importance of balneotherapy and spa therapy both individually and as complements to other therapies lies in their potential effectiveness after standard medical treatments have failed to give comfort to these patients.

Balneology↗
PubMed2003

Cutaneous side effects of alternative therapy.

Unconventional, complementary, and alternative therapies have become very popular forms of therapy and the predictions are that their popularity will continue to soar in the future. They are often perceived as being "natural" and therefore harmless, devoid of side effects, and without unpleasant consequences. The fact is that although their risks might be less than those of conventional drugs, side effects of this therapy can and do occur and must be considered as being a relevant factor in using such methods. It is to be expected that their numbers will increase in the future because of their growing popularity and because of continuing efforts to intensify their activity and therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, now more than ever, dermatologists should be familiar with all possible side effects, risks, and toxic, allergic, and possible mutagenic reactions. This article provides fundamental and vital information for practicing dermatologists.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMed2003

A tattooed butterfly as a vector of atypical Mycobacteria.

We report the first case of cutaneous inoculation of atypical Mycobacteria secondary to tattooing. The diagnosis of atypical Mycobacteria infection of the skin was confirmed on the basis of the clinical and histologic appearance, the detection of acid-fast bacilli on Ziehl-Neelsen stain, and positive polymerase chain reaction. The medical complications of tattooing, which are manifold, are briefly summarized. This case emphasizes the need for federal regulation of tattooing, which is an invasive procedures associated with infectious and noninfectious complications.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Cutaneous reactions to temporary tattoos.

While allergic reactions to henna painting are extremely rare, we have witnessed an increasing number of reports of cutaneous reactions after henna tattooing, also called temporary tattooing. The reason for this lies in the contemporary composition of the paint, which contains paraphenylenediamine (PPD). We present six patients who developed allergic contact dermatitis after skin painting with "black henna", and who showed hypersensitivity to PPD. We discuss the issue of the short sensitization period of our patients and the reported ones.

Adolescent↗