Photoallergic contact dermatitis (PACD) is a clinical problem that has often been poorly understood and neglected by dermatologists over recent years. This can be partly attributed to its investigation by photopatch testing (PPT) falling between the expertise of photobiologists and contact dermatitis clinicians. One result of this situation was that no European Baseline PPT series had been agreed on. To redress this, the European multi centre photopatch test study (EMCPPTS) was conceived to provide up to date information on which photoallergens are of greatest clinical relevance. Its conduct and results form the core research project of this thesis. To enable the EMCPPTS to proceed and its results to be viewed in a wider context, the other Chapters of this thesis explore important related aspects of PACD and PPT in Europe. The introduction examines the nature of PACD and PPT and reviews current photoallergens. Then, the investigation of the two photoallergens carprofen and chlorproethazine by PPT is recounted. These studies highlight deficiencies within the current European regulatory system for preventing photoallergens from reaching the marketplace, as well as providing templates for the investigation of new photoallergens in the human environment. This is followed by a pilot PPT study which provides new information on the optimum non-irritating concentration of the 19 ultraviolet sunscreen absorbers to be used in the EMCPPTS. The issue of attempting to determine the photoallergenic potential of the EMCPPTS agents with respect to exposure patterns is addressed by conducting a sunscreen survey in the UK. The EMCPPTS itself is then detailed, as well as the difficulties that can be encountered when conducting a large clinical study of this nature. The results from the EMCPPTS and other presented studies were shown to be of importance in deciding upon a new European Baseline PPT series. The process involved in deciding this series, as well as its content are described before overall conclusions and possible future studies in the domain of PACD and PPT are discussed.

Metagenomics, or genomic sequence of the community of microbiota (bacteria, fungi, virus), enables an investigation of the full complement of genetic material, including virulence, antibiotic resistance, and strain differentiating markers. The granularity to distinguish between closely related strains is important as within one species, these strains possess distinct functions and relationships to a host. To analyze metagenomic samples, I developed a reference-based approach that utilizes both single nucleotide variants and genetic content to assign species and strain-level designations. After refining this approach with complex simulated communities, I utilized it to analyze the microbial communities present in skin samples from healthy and diseased individuals. First, to investigate strain-level heterogeneity in healthy adults, I focused on the common skin commensals Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis with well-documented sequence variation. Results indicated that an individual’s strains of P. acnes are shared across multiple sites of his or her body, and that those strains are more similar within than between individuals. For S. epidermidis, in addition to individual site similarities, there were also site-specific strains. Overall these results emphasize that both individuality and site specificity shape our bodies’ microbial communities. Based on longitudinal data, an individual’s strain signatures remain stable for up to a year despite external, environmental perturbations. I then used metagenomic data to explore microbial temporal dynamics in atopic dermatitis (AD; eczema), an inflammatory skin disease commonly associated with Staphylococcal species. Species-level investigation of AD flares demonstrated a microbial dichotomy in which S. aureus predominated on more severely affected patients while S. epidermidis predominated on less severely affected patients. Strain-level analysis determined that S. aureus-predominant patients were monocolonized with distinct S. aureus strains, while all patients had heterogeneous S. epidermidis strain communities. To assess the host immunologic effects of these species, I topically applied patient-derived strains to mice. AD strains of S. aureus were sufficient to elicit a skin immune response, characteristic of AD patients. This suggests a model whereby staphylococcal strains contribute to AD progression through activation of the host immune system. Overall, this strain-level analysis of healthy and disease communities provides previously unexplored resolution of human skin microbiome. / 2018-03-24T00:00:00Z

Book Summary: The Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs: An Interactive Approach to Self-Care contains the most authoritative information on nonprescription drug pharmacotherapy, nutritional supplements, medical foods, nondrug and preventive measures, and complementary therapies. The 18th edition shows students and practitioners how to assess and triage a patient's medical complaints. And it provides FDA-approved dosing information for nonprescription medications along with evidence-based research on the efficacy and safety of over-the-counter, herbal, and homeopathic medications.

"April 1999." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 46-51). Aims to collect information about the numbers of dental workers who are sensitive or allergic to nickel and to help identify signs which might predict those people who are most likely to be sensitive to nickel. Uses a standard patch test to identify sensitive subjects.

Gangrenous dermatitis (GD) has become a major health problem among broiler flocks in the United States, resulting in high mortality, carcass condemnations, and trimmed parts. There are large economic losses due to GD. Clostridium septicum, Clostridium perfringens type A, and Staphylococcus aureus are the etiologic agents associated with GD. Gangrenous dermatitis has been associated with birds that have a compromised immune system. It is known that the gastrointestinal (GI) tract plays a crucial role in animal health and performance. The development of a healthy normal microflora in the GI tract benefits the host by improved resistance to pathogens. Our hypothesis is the application of commercial disinfectants, probiotics, vitamins, acidifiers, and windrowing technologies will reduce Clostridium levels in poultry operations. The objective of the first study was to administer probiotics to commercial broilers on three farms periodically throughout the grow-out cycle to conclude if bird health and performance was improved. The objective of the second study was to use commercial disinfectants, vitamins, acidifiers, and windrowing technologies on three farms in multiple houses and determine their effects on broiler production parameters. During grow-out, standard production practices were followed in all experiments and standard production parameters were measured. On all three farms in this study, the probiotic-treated houses had no mortality due to GD and an increase (P </= 0.05) in body weight gain was observed unlike their respective control houses. These experiments indicate that the application of probiotic in this field trial significantly altered the onset of GD by providing the birds with normal GI flora that contributed to their overall health during a commercial field study. When evaluating the different products and field technologies to control GD, our laboratory observed that treatment houses that were windrowed and received added vitamins did break with GD. Houses that were treated with peroxymonosulfates and monoglyceride, peroxymonosulfates, or glutaraldehyde litter disinfectants; acidifiers or vitamins had higher gross and net pounds weight gain at processing than their respective control houses. In conclusion, the significance of this work was to determine if products and technologies can be used by growers in commercial broiler houses to eliminate disease.

The prevalence of childhood allergic diseases has been increasing in Taiwan. In Taipei area, according to the surveillance of Hsieh KH, the prevalence rate of childhood asthma increased from 1.3% in 1974 to 10.79% in 1994. The other allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis and urticaria , have been also increasing in Taipei, Taichung and Tainan city by a serious studies in Western Taiwan. There is no any report of childhood allergic diseases in Eastern Taiwan till now. So, we want to analyze the prevalence of childhood allergic diseases and the common allergens in Eastern Taiwan. From Nov. 2002 to Oct. 2004, all of the primary school children in Yu-Li town in Hualien county were included in this study. (total 2058 children of 12 school). All of them were surveyed with pediatric allergic diseases questionnaire (asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis and urticaria). After the survey, the suspected allergic cases were analyzed for their hypersensitivity to the common allergens by allergen screening test and specific IgE exam of Pharmacia CAP system. 1816 children completed the questionnaire (completive rate 88.24%) and 688 (37.88%) children were suspected to have allergic diseases. 151 (8.87%) asthma¡F448 (24.67%) allergic rhinitis¡F70 (3.85%) atopic dermatitis¡F65 (3.58%) urticaria. A total of 623 suspected allergic cases were analyzed for their hypersensitivity to the common allergens. The common allergens were also analyzed. 87.7% allergic to D. pteronyssinus (Dp) ; 83.9% Blomia tropicalis (Bt) ; 35.0% German cockroach; 16.0% Dog dander; 7.5% Cat dander; 8.0% Candida albicans; 11.2% Bermuda grass; 38.6% shrimp; 33.1% crab; 26.6% milk; 14.3% egg white; 6.7% peanuts; 6.1% Cod fish; 5.4% Wheat; 4.7% Soya bean. The prevalence of childhood allergic diseases in Eastern Taiwan is lower than Western Taiwan. The different envelopment and living type may be the major reasons. From this study, we also suggest that Blomia tropicalis (Bt) should be included in the common aeroallergy analysis in Eastern Taiwan.

Se han revisado 37408 historias clínicas, para determinar la frecuencia de la dermatitis alérgica por la picadura de pulga (DAPP) y la distribución de las variables edad, sexo, raza y tipo de pelaje de los pacientes caninos que fueron llevados para consulta por primera vez a la Clínica Veterinaria de Animales Menores de la Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, durante el período 2000 - 2004. Del total de historias clínicas, se encontró a 5.3% (1981/37408) de pacientes con dermatitis, de éstos el 16.4% (324/1981) fueron diagnosticados con dermatitis alérgica por picadura de pulga (DAPP) clínicamente. Las historias clínicas reportan lesiones características de la enfermedad constituidas en su mayoría por erupciones papulocostrosa, alopecia en la base de la cola, como consecuencia del auto traumatismo, asociada a la presencia de pulgas. Además, el mayor número de casos con DAPP se encontró en animales de raza pura (197/324), de 1 a 7 años de edad (243 de 324), de pelo medio (103 de 197) y sexo macho (177 de 324). Palabras Claves: Caninos, frecuencia, dermatitis alérgica por picadura de pulga (DAPP). / To determine the frequency of allergic dermatitis by flea bite and the distribution of 37408 cases according to age, sex, breed and type of hair coat of dogs clinically observed for the first time in the Samall Animal Clinic of the School of Veterinary Medicine of San Marcos University during the 2000 and 2004 period were reviewed. The were 5.30% (1981/37408) of patient with dermatitis and form them a 16.4% (324/1981) were allergic dermatitis by flea bite. Different characteristic skin lesions as popular crusted eruptions, alopecia of the tail as a consequence of auto traumatism associate to flea bite. Besides, the higher cases of allergic dermatitis by flea bite of pure breed (197 of 324) with croos breed dogs, from 1 to 7 years old (243 of 324), median hair coat (103 of 197) and males (177 of 324). Key Words: Canine, frequency, allergic dermatitis by flea bite.

This thesis presents genetic studies of atopic dermatitis (AD) and IgA deficiency in dogs. AD is a chronic inflammatory and pruritic skin disorder caused by allergic reactions against environmental allergens. Both genetic and environmental factors are involved in the development of Canine AD (CAD) and human AD. In Paper I, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and identified a locus on chromosome 27 significantly associated with CAD in German shepherd dogs (GSDs). The locus contains several genes and fine-mapping indicated strongest association close to the candidate gene PKP2. In Paper II, we performed additional fine-mapping and identified four highly associated SNPs located in regions with transcriptional regulatory potential in epithelial and immune cells. The risk alleles were associated with increased transcriptional activity and the effect on expression was cell-type dependent. These data indicate that multiple cell-type specific enhancers regulate the expression of PKP2, and/or the neighboring genes YARS2, DNM1L and FGD4, and predispose GSDs to CAD. IgA deficiency is the most common primary immune deficiency disorder in both humans and dogs, characterized by a higher risk of recurrent mucosal tract infections, allergic and other immune-mediated diseases. In Paper III, we performed the widest screening (to date) of serum IgA levels in dog breeds (Ndogs=1267, Nbreeds=22) and defined eight breeds as predisposed to low IgA levels. In Paper IV, we performed GWAS in four of the breeds defined as prone to low IgA levels. We used a novel percentile groups-approach to establish breed-specific cut-offs to perform analyses in a close to continuous manner. In total, 35 genomic loci were suggestively associated (p&lt;0.0005) to IgA levels, and three genomic regions (including the genes KIRREL3 and SERPINA9) were genome-wide significantly associated with IgA levels in GSDs. A ~20kb long haplotype on chromosome 28, significantly associated to IgA levels in Shar-Pei dogs, was positioned within the first intron of the gene SLIT1 overlapping with a possible dog domestication sweep. This thesis suggests novel candidate genes involved in two immune-mediated disorders in the dog. Hopefully, these results will become an important resource for the genetic research of the corresponding human diseases.

La dermatitis de contacto alérgica es una de las patologías prevalentes dentro de las consultas en un centro dermatológico, siendo los metales como níquel, cromo y cobalto los alergenos más frecuentes sobre todo en el ámbito laboral. . La clínica que se observa no difiere del resto de los eczemas, comenzando con eritema, edema, seguido de la aparición de vesículas con exudación. Los síntomas son prurito y en menores ocasiones ardor y dolor. Para el correcto diagnóstico, además de una buena historia clínica con los datos del paciente que permitan sospechar el origen de la afección, es necesario realizar testificaciones epicutáneas a fin de individualizar los posibles alergenos causantes del cuadro en estudio. Observamos en nuestros pacientes que el 2,48% estaba sensibilizado a níquel, 1,96% a cromo y que el 0,31% a los dos. A pesar de que estos resultados son bajos comparados con los expuestos en las publicaciones a nivel internacional, nuestros pacientes presentaron las características habituales para cada alergeno en estudio. Con respecto al níquel este afectó sobre todo a la población femenina, siendo frecuente el contacto extraprofesional por el uso de bisutería. La acción del cromo estuvo vinculada a varones trabajadores de la construcción, produciendo en su mayoría eczema de manos por el uso de cemento que contiene sales de cromo. Los datos expuestos en este estudio tienen la finalidad de fomentar grupos de investigación a nivel epidemiológico y la implementación de medidas preventivas tendientes a disminuir la morbilidad en nuestra región.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.