Pathology of Integumentary System - Part 4 Flashcards
What can be seen here?
Vesicles are filled with pus, that is why we call this Intraepidermal vesicular/pustular dermatitis.
Vesicle is formed because of a phenomeon called acantholysis.
What is the most common cause of Intraepidermal vesicular/pustular dermatitis?
Most common cause: Acantholysis
What is acantholysis?
Loss of cohesion between keratinocytes
resulting from a breakdown of the intercellular
bridges (desmosomes).
What is the difference between acantholytic cells and acanthocytes?
Acantholytic cells: keratinocytes which separate
completely from their neighbors, become round, with
a round nucleus and eosinophilic cytoplasm
Acanthocytes are a type of RBC with irregularly shaped spikes. Formed due to a defect in the lipid content on the cell membrane.
What are the major features of acantholysis?
Formation of clefts, vesicles, pustules
Large vesicle is a pustule filled with lots of neutrohpils and the individual keratinocytes are acantholytic cells.
What do you see clinically with intrapeidermal vesicular/pustular dermatitis?
- Transient: Vesicles (smaller)/bullae (larger) –> progresses to pustules
- Progress to erosions and crusts
intrapeidermal vesicular/pustular dermatitis
Eventually forms crusties
What are the causes of acantholysis?
- Pemphigus foliaceus
* Due to autoantibodies against desmocollin-1 - Bacteria (S. pseudintermedius)
* Due to the release of bacterial exotoxins. Toxins cleave desmosomal protein.
* This is the major cause of canine pyoderma - Dermatophyte
* Due to the release of proteolytic enzymes. Fungi will release proteolytic enzymes which also cleaves desmosomal proteins.
What can be seen here?
Desmocolene 1 is located in the superifical layer of the epidermis so that is why you see a vesicle intraepidermally.
What can be seen here?
Protein in lower layer of epidermis
What can be seen here?
Basement membrane contains manny tine structures in this zone. Whenever one of the proteins is defected, you will see vesicles in the BM zone.
Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) affects what age range of dogs?
Middle-aged dogs
Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is a condition in which autoantibodies are formed against _________-__ (_____;
in _____)
* Which type of hypersensitivity?
desmocollin-1, DSC1, dogs
Type II
What do you see clinically with a case of Pemphigus foliaceus?
*Pustules, erosions, crusting
* Face (including nasal planum), ears, paw pads
What do you see histologically with a case of Pemphigus foliaceus?
- Numerous neutrophils with acantholytic cells on
cytological examination. When you do cytology, and see acanthlytic cells in very large numbers, this is probably PF so biopsy and send to pathologist to confirm.
In cases of Pemphigus foliaceus, you need to?
- Need to rule out infections by bacteria and dermatophyte.
- Biopsy is the only way you can confirm this diagnosis.
Rule out bacterial/other cause by culture the surface, submit crust for culture of aerobic bacteria dna submit for dermatophyte cultures, if you get positive results treat for those infections first. If still have lesions, want to investigate further to see if have PF.
What can be seen here?
Pemphigus foliaceus
What can be seen here?
Pemphigus foliaceus
What can be seen here?
Same cell, different stain on the left.
Slide on left is stained with Giemmsa stain
What can be seen here?
Crust on face, ears.
PF in cats
Pemphigus vulgaris (PV)
1. This is a disease of what dog age range?
2. Clinically what do you see?
3. What is the pathogensis of this disease?
4. Histologically what do you see?
- Middle-aged dogs
- Vesicles and bullae → erosions and ulcers
* Check Oral cavity, mucocutaneous junctions, skin
- Vesicles and bullae → erosions and ulcers
- *Autoantibody against desmoglein-3 (DSG3) = expressed in buccal mucosa which is why you will see lesions in oral cavity.
- Acantholysis with suprabasilar clefting (row of
tombstones)
- Acantholysis with suprabasilar clefting (row of
What can be seen here?
PV
What can be seen here?
PV
What can be seen here?
Tombstoning is characteristic of PV
Desmocolene is only expressed in superficial layer.
In buccal mucosa, no positive stain (green).
IF result = stained in lower area.
Normal surface flora
Skin barrier damage or immune deficiency
↓
?
Invasion by “normal” or pathogenic bacteria
Usually Staphylococcus spp.
(Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in dogs)
Impetigo (Puppy Pyoderma)
1. Affects dogs of what age range?
2. What is the predisposing factor?
3. What is the most common cause?
4. What do you see clincially?
- Young puppies. Still developing their immune system so usually don’t see in adults.
- Predisposing factor: Cutaneous
abrasions, immunosuppression
- Predisposing factor: Cutaneous
- Most commonly caused by
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
- Most commonly caused by
- Sparsely haired area like ventral abdomen, perineum
* Pustules not associated with hair follicles
* Subcorneal pustules with bacteria +/- acantholysis
- Sparsely haired area like ventral abdomen, perineum
What can be seen here?
Impetigo (puppy pyoderma)
What can be seen here?
See subcorneal vesicles because the top layer is the straum corneum and you see a huge pustule.
What can be seen here?
Cocci engulfed by neutrophils.
Dogs on steroids for too long can develop pyoderma due to immunosuppression.
What can be seen in these images?
Left: Dermatophyte within hair follicle on left arrow, on right there is lots of inflammation with neutrophils and scattered keratinocytes.
Canine skin, case no. 12. (a) Intrafollicular pustule
containing many neutrophils and moderate numbers of acantholytic
keratinocytes (arrow head). Fungal hyphae (arrow) are present in the follicular
keratin (haematoxylin and eosin, ×20; bar = 50 μm). Culture if unsure about diagnosis. Meds?
Right: GMS stain used for fungi. Fungi stained black. Black arrows pointing to fungi.
Porcine exudative epidermitis (greasy pig
disease)
1. What is the cause?
2. Produces?
- Cause: Staphylococcus hyicus. This is the commensal of pigs.
- Produces exotoxins
→ intra-epidermal cleavage –> acantolytic cells, pustules, crusts eventually.
→ pustules and crust
- Produces exotoxins
What can be seen here?
Porcine exudative epidermitis (greasy pig
disease)
Grease due to very active inflammation of skin.
Dermatophilosis
1. What is the cause?
2. Mostly seen in which species?
3. Alternative name? Why?
4. What are the critical factors leading to this disease?
- Cause: Dermatophilus congolensis
- Cattle, goats, sheep, and horses
- Rain rot. B/c Most common in hot humid areas with heavy rainfall
- Two critical factors:
* Trauma to skin
* Prolonged moisture
* Thick, yellow-brown keratinized
crust on any area of the body
What can be seen here?
Yellow or brown crusts that is involving the neck area. Not only do dermatophylosis can be a primary pathogen, can also be a secondary invader. E.g. if animal has viral infection, they can have secondary dermatophylosis because this is a type of bacteria that causes infection when you have trauma to the skin and if weather is humid.
What can be seen here?
Dermatophilus filaments