Dermatology Pt2 Flashcards
Cause of boils & treatment:
Hair follicle becomes infected to produce a pus-filled lump on the skin. Drainage of pus and antibiotics.
What are carbuncles?
Multiple boils occurring when hair follicles next to each other become infected
What is chronic furunculosis?
This is a condition where groups of boils occur over a period of time, either episodically or continuously
What is folliculitis & treatment?
Inflammation of hair follicles in the skin whereby very small pustules develop at the base of the hair. Antibiotics if not resolved by itself.
3 types of folliculitis:
- Hot-tub folliculitis - hot water is a thriving medium for Pseudomonas species
- Sycosis barbae - bearded area of a mans face causing burn & itching sensation when shaving
- Gram-negative folliculitis - associated with long-term antibiotic treatment for acne
Which bacterium is involved for boils (carbuncles) & folliculitis?
Staphylococcus aureus
Which oral antibiotics are commonly used to treat boils & folliculitis?
Flucloxacillin & clarithromycin
Herpes simplex virus cause & what it causes:
Often when the individual is unwell or stressed. Causes sore, blistering lesions on the mucous membranes.
How is the herpes virus transmitted?
Through bodily fluid exchange (primarily through kissing or sex) even if the individual does not have any active lesions at the time (asymptomatic viral shedding)
What antiviral medication can be used a treatment option for an outbreak?
Aciclovir
Oral herpes - topical
Genital herpes - oral
What does varicella-zoster virus (VZV) cause?
Chickenpox in childhood. May lie dormant in sensory nerve root an recur as shingles later in life. Itch intensely as the papules, rash, and macules start to heal.
Symptoms of shingles (2):
Periods of flu-like illness
Followed by painful, blistering rash which follows the course of the cutaneous nerve across the skin.
The rash may be present for up to two weeks, but the pain may last longer than this.
Treatment, ideally early-on, for shingles:
Aciclovir
Cause of warts & verrucae:
Human papillomavirus (HPV)
Treatment for warts & verrucae: (3)
- Left untreated
- Frozen with liquid nitrogen
- Painted with salicylic acid and filed down
Cause of orf:
Parapox virus - this infects lambs and goats
Who are most susceptible to orf?
Farmers, vets, and children who bottle-feed lambs if subjected to animals grazing on pasture
Symptoms of orf & location:
Small, firm, red or reddish-blue lesions develop, and will eventually form a blister tinged with blood on the fingers, hands, forearms, or face.
No treatment for orf. Will regress within 3-6 weeks.
Treatments for fungal infections of the skin: 2 parts
- Firstly, OTC topical antifungal medications
- Followed by prescription topical / oral drugs for more severe cases
5 diseases caused by fungal infections:
- Athlete’s foot
- Ringworm
- Ringworm of the groin
- Nail infections
- Thrush
Symptoms of athlete’s foot:
Caused by Trichophyton rubrum - grows best in warm & moist environments leading to peeling, redness, itching, burning, and sometimes blisters & sores.
What does ringworm look like?
Circular, red, flat sore often accompanied by scaly skin. Outer part can be raised whilst the middle appears normal.
Who are usually affected by ringworm of the groin and potential cause?
Young males who play sports commonly, cross-contamination from athlete’s foot
Nail infections take a long time to develop, what do they look like?
Discoloured, crumbly, surrounding tissue may thicken. Hard to even cure after sustained antifungal use.
C. albicans is a common fungus that is often present in the mouth, stomach and skin (and vagina in
females) usually causing no problems. But, what causes thrush symptoms?
If the person is unwell, pregnant, has diabetes, or is taking antibiotics causing the fungi to multiply
What does thrush look like?
Small white patches which leave a red mark when rubbed off. In women, vaginal thrush can cause itchiness and a white discharge that ranges from slightly watery to thick and white.
Treatment for athlete’s foot & ringworm (& groin) & thrush
Clotrimazole or miconazole (topical)
