Background. Warts are cutaneous and, sometimes, mucosal lesions caused by one of the several human papilloma viruses. Aim. Assessment of the clinicoepidemiological aspects of warts. Materials and Methods. One hundred consecutive patients of warts presenting to the department of our institution were assigned two broad locational groups: genital and nongenital warts, the latter subdivided into common, plane, palmoplantar, mosaic, and digitate/filiform. Results. Ninety had nongenital and 10 had genital warts in our study; common (42%), palmoplantar (20%), and plane (18%) were the common types of the nongenital warts. All the genital warts were acuminate. In the second decade, the commonest age group, encompassed all patients of mosaic, 40% of palmoplantar, and 20% of genital warts. Overall male (66%) preponderance xisted. All cases of filiform warts were males. Mosaic warts affected females more commonly. Students (32%), laborers (28%), and housewives (16%) were the usual occupations. Cosmetic concern (92%), pain (16%), and itching (15%) were the common complaints. All patients of genital warts sought treatment within 6 months. Conclusions. Common, palmoplantar, and plane warts were the common types of nongenital warts. Overall prevalence peaked during the second decade but one-third of the cases of plane warts occurred during the first. Extremities were the most common sites (66.7%); face was the next commonly (23%) involved.

Hand eczema was particularly common in hospital cleaners and staff with atopic dermatitis. Further studies are needed to address the burden of occupational hand eczema and develop guidelines for its management at a national level.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by nonscarring hair loss involving any hair-bearing surface of the body. The current therapy for AA is not curative but rather aimed at controlling or limiting the pathogenic process. Corticosteroids are the most popular drugs used, however localized atrophy is a common complication, particularly with triamcinolone. Promoting hair growth by application of autologous blood extracted platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a simple, yet effective procedure. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (5 mg/ml) with intralesional PRP in the treatment of two different scalp AA patches of same individual. Methods: A total of 30 patients having ≥2 patches of AA were randomized and given two separate modalities of treatment in two different patches and divided in Group I, treated with intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (5 mg/ml) and Group II, treated with PRP. Interval time between every follow-up was 3 weeks and four such follow-ups were done. Hair regrowth was calculated according to Mac Donald Hull and Norris grading system at every follow-up and was compared with the initial grading. Results: Group I patches, treated with triamcinolone acetonide have the significantly higher mean grading score than the group II patches, treated with PRP at each follow up. Conclusions: Intralesional triamcinolone acetonide is more efficacious than intralesional PRP in the treatment of scalp alopecia areata with no recurrences and very few adverse effects like atrophy and hypopigmentation.

BackgroundUrticaria, a vascular reaction of the skin, is marked by the transient appearance of erythematous papules or plaques (wheals) of varying sizes that are blanchable and associated with severe pruritus which lasts from a few hours to days. The etiological factors for urticaria include food, drugs, bacterial foci, pollen, fungi, dust, worms, physical stimuli, stress, anxiety, insect stings, etc. Skin prick tests (SPTs) represent the cheapest and most effective method to diagnose immunoglobulin E-mediated type 1 allergic reactions such as urticaria. A history suggestive of clinical sensitivity supported by a positive test strongly implicates the allergen in the disease process. In this study, we aimed to detect the common allergens and correlate the findings of SPTs with various epidemiological characteristics of urticaria patients. MethodologyA total of 100 patients with urticaria were included in this study. After receiving written and informed consent from patients, SPTs using a battery of 45 allergens were performed. ResultsIn our study, SPT positivity was seen in 88 (88%) patients. The highest sensitization was noted toward Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (house dust mite) (30%), followed by D. farinae, Cynodon dactylon, and peanuts (each comprising 24%), and Ailanthus excelsa (20%). ConclusionsFinding the causative allergen in urticaria is often a difficult and long-drawn process, both for the physician and the patient. Our study identified an allergen in 88% of patients with urticaria, thereby showing that the SPT is a cost-effective, easy, and reliable tool for diagnosing and guiding treatments in urticaria patients.

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