Abstract Background American cutaneous leishmaniasis is an infectious dermatosis caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, which comprises a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations depending on the parasite species involved in the infections and the immunogenetic response of the host. The use of techniques for amplification of the parasites DNA based on polymerase chain reaction polymerase chain reaction and the recent application of combined techniques, such as high-resolution DNA dissociation, have been described as a viable alternative for the detection and identification of Leishmania spp. in biological samples. Objectives To identify the Leishmania species using the polymerase chain reaction high-resolution DNA dissociation technique in skin biopsies of hospital-treated patients, and compare with results obtained by other molecular identification techniques. Methods A retrospective study assessing patients with suspected American cutaneous leishmaniasis seen at a hospital in São Paulo/Brazil was conducted. The paraffin blocks of 22 patients were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction high-resolution DNA dissociation to confirm the diagnosis and identify the species. Results Of the 22 patients with suspected American cutaneous leishmaniasis, the parasite was identified in 14, comprising five cases (35.6%) of infection by L. amazonensis, four (28.5%) by L. braziliensis, two (14.4%) by L. amazonensis + L. infantum chagasi, two (14.4%) by L. guyanensis, and one (7.1%) by Leishmania infantum chagasi. In one of the samples, in which the presence of amastigotes was confirmed on histopathological examination, the polymerase chain reaction high-resolution DNA dissociation technique failed to detect the DNA of the parasite. Study limitations The retrospective nature of the study and small number of patients. Conclusions The method detected and identified Leishmania species in paraffin-embedded skin biopsies with a sensitivity of 96.4% and could be routinely used in the public health system.

Inflammatory bowel diseases can commonly present many cutaneous lesions which can contribute to the diagnosis of the disease or its activity. The most frequent cutaneous or mucocutaneous manifestations suggesting ulcerative rectocolitis activity are erythema nodosum (3-10%), pyoderma gangrenosum (5-12%) and aphthous stomatitis (4%). Other reactive skin manifestations related to immunological mechanisms associated with the inflammatory bowel disease are: Sweet's syndrome, arthritis-dermatitis syndrome associated with inflammatory bowel disease and leukocytoclastic vasculitis. We describe the case of a young man with diagnosis of ulcerative rectocolitis, which presented an extensive cutaneous gangrene secondary to microvascular thrombosis. The case represents a dermatologic rarity and should be recognized as a cutaneous manifestation related to the hypercoagulability state observed in the disease's activity.

FUNDAMENTOS: Erisipela e celulite são infecções cutâneas freqüentes. OBJETIVOS: Com o objetivo de avaliar incidência, fatores de risco, principais complicações, esquemas terapêuticos utilizados e evolução. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados 35 pacientes com diagnóstico de erisipela internados nas enfermarias do Hospital Central da Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo no período de abril a agosto de 2002. RESULTADOS: A incidência de pacientes com diagnóstico de erisipela no período estudado foi de 0,87%. O fator de risco local mais encontrado foi o linfedema, seguido por episódios prévios de erisipela. Dos fatores de risco gerais, aqueles que comprometem a imunidade, como diabetes mellitus, etilismo e neoplasias, foram os mais observados em associação ao quadro de infecção dermatológica. Sinais inflamatórios locais foram encontrados em 97,8% dos casos. Verificaram-se quatro casos com complicações: necrose, abscesso, trombose venosa profunda e septicemia. A evolução dos pacientes foi satisfatória em mais de 97% dos casos. CONCLUSÕES: O tratamento com penicilina cristalina foi associado ao menor número de complicações (p<0,05) e ao menor custo (p<0,05), e a associação de anticoagulantes à terapia evidenciou menor incidência de complicações (p<0,05).

BACKGROUND: Erysipelas and cellulitis are common skin infections. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper is to investigate the frequency, risk factors, clinical features, complications, principal drugs used for treatment and the disease course. METHODS: The authors studied 35 ward patients who had been diagnosed with erysipelas, and were admitted to the Central Hospital of Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo between April and August 2002. RESULTS: Among the patients in the ward during the study 0.87% had been diagnosed with erysipelas. The most common local risk factor was lymphedema, followed by previous episodes of erysipelas. Among the general risk factors, diabetes mellitus, alcohol abuse and cancer were most frequently observed. Local inflammatory signs were found in 97.8% of the patients. Four cases were observed to have complications, which were: necrosis, abscess, deep thrombophlebitis and septicemia. The course was satisfactory in more than 97% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Therapy with penicillin was associated with a decrease of complications (p<0.05) and at a lower cost compared to other antibiotic therapies (p<0.05). When anticoagulants were combined to the therapy, there was a lower incidence of complications (p<0.05).

FUNDAMENTO: Lúpus eritematoso cutâneo crônico é uma doença inflamatória crônica relativamente freqüente, mas pouco estudada entre nós. OBJETIVO: Caracterizar epidemiologia e clínica de pacientes com lúpus eritematoso cutâneo crônico, visando comparar dados obtidos com literatura mundial. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Foram estudados retrospectivamente 290 pacientes com lúpus eritematoso cutâneo crônico no período de 1982 a 1996, na Clínica de Dermatologia da Santa Casa de São Paulo. RESULTADOS: A média de idade da instalação da doença foi de 32,3 anos, houve predomínio do sexo feminino em relação ao masculino (3,4:1), a maior parte dos pacientes teve lesões localizadas no segmento cefálico (58,3%). Quanto às variedades clínicas, houve predomínio da placa discóide típica em 90,4% dos casos, seguida das variantes verrucosa ou hipertrófica (7,9%), lúpus eritematso pérnio (1,4%), e túmida (0,3%). Lesões em mucosas ou epitélios de transição ocorreram em 27,2% dos pacientes. CONCLUSÕES: Lúpus eritematoso cutâneo crônico é doença mais comum em mulher adulta, sendo a placa discóide típica a lesão mais comum. Lesões mucosas ocorreram em aproximadamente em um quarto dos casos.

BACKGROUND: Chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus is a chronic inflammatory disease, which albeit relatively frequent, has been the object of few studies. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the epidemiological and clinical aspects of patients with chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus, with a view to comparing the data obtained with the world literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was done on 290 patients with chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus from 1982 to 1996, attended at the Dermatology Clinic of Hospital Santa Casa de Sao Paulo. RESULTS: The mean age at onset of the disease was 32.3 years, there was a female prevalence in relation to males (3.4:1), most of the patients had lesions located in the cephalic segment (58.3%). Regarding the clinical types, there was a prevalence of the typical discoid plaque in 90.4% of cases, followed by the verrucous or hypertrophic forms (7.9%), erythematous lupus pernio (1.4%) and tumid (0.3%). Lesions in the mucous membranes or transition epithelia occurred in 27.2% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus is a disease more frequent in adult women and the most common lesion is the typical discoid plaque. Mucous lesions occurred in approximately one fourth of the cases.