Skin Flashcards
State four facts about skin?
1) skin is the largest organ in the body
2) skin is the major barrier between the inside and outside of your body
3) the thickness of skin varies from 0.5mm thick on the eyelids to 4.0mm thick on the heels of your feet
4) it has an area of 2 square meters (22square feet) in adults, and weighs about 5 kilograms.
What are the four functions of skin?
1) protection: it protects against UV light, mechanical, thermal and chemical stresses, dehydration and invasion by micro-organisms
2) sensation: skin has receptors that sense touch, pressure, pain and temperature.
3) thermoregulation: various features of the skin are involved in regulating temperature of the body. For example, sweat glands, hair, and adipose tissue.
4) metabolic function: subcutaneous adipose tissue is involved in production of vitamin D, and triglycerides.
Name a few viral infections
Measles
Rubella
Chicken pox
Herpes
Shingles
Warts
What are the symptoms of measles?
Dry cough and runny rose
Body pains and headache
Sore throat
Watering and swelling in eyes
Loss of appetite
Diarrhoea
Discomfort and fatigue
Light sensitivity
Inflammation in lymph nodes
Koplik’s spots (blue and red spots in the mouth)
Is measles a respiratory infection?
Yes.
Are measles and Rubella preventable diseases?
Yes
What is the number of days between which measles and rubella resolve?
7-10 days
What will a small number of people develop if they have measles?
Meningitis
Pneumonia
What are the symptoms of Rubella?
Similar to measles
Mild respiratory illness
Rash
Malaise/arthralgia
What are the complications of measles or rubella?
High risk to pregnancy
<20 weeks, foetal abnormalities, deafness
90% chance of transmission from mother to baby
What are the characteristics of chickenpox?
Common childhood infection
Mild illness
Itch as skin lesions reviver
What are the two types of Herpes Simplex Virus?
HSV-1: Oral to oral contact
HSV-2: genital contact, STD
HSV-1:
Subclinical in many patients
Latent virus jn trigeminal ganglion
Reactivation - recurrent herpes labialis
What is the treatment for Herpes Simplex Virus?
Aciclovir
Inhibits viral DNA replication
Prevents viral replication
This is the treatment for shingles and chickenpox too
This treatment shortens the length of illness, but does not mean recent recurrence.
What is ocular herpes?
Painful, red, swollen
Contact with active herpes lesions
May lead to loss of vision
What is herpetic whitlow?
Painful, red, swollen finger or nail
Blisters or sores on your finger
Active Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) lesion
Can spread to other areas
What are warts?
Small lumps that develop on the skin
Caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
They are normally self limiting, can be treated with cryotherapy and salicylic acid cream.
Are warts and cervical cancer from the same virus?
No. They are from the same family as HPV but not the same virus.
What are a few examples of bacterial infections?
Folliculitis
Boils
Carbuncles
Furuncles
What type of infection is Erysipelas? What is it?
Bacterial infection, streptococcal infection
Oedema/cellulitis of dermis
May be systemically unwell
Is impetigo a bacterial infection?
Yes - step+ staphylococcus
Is impetigo contagious?
Yes
Name examples of immunologically mediated skin diseases
Eczema
Contact dermatitis
Psoriasis
SLE/DLE
Scleroderma
Lichen planus
Pemphigoid
Pemphigus