Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a chronic dermatitis with 1-3% prevalence and even with 33-83% in immunocompromised patients. Often, because of some of predisposing factors, abnormal proliferation of Malassezia yeasts (as a normal flora) is seen in patients that lead to observation of clinical symptoms in their bodies. The aim of this study was to evaluate of Malassezia yeasts colonization rate in patients with seborrheic dermatitis that has key importance to appropriate treatment.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out during one-year period from January 2015 to February 2016 on 45 patients. According to the sample size formula, after visiting by a dermatologist and refer to the Medical Mycology Laboratory, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, patients were subjected to mycological examinations schedules. After recording the clinical symptoms and their specifications, sampling from all patients’ lesions was performed with sterile scalpel and a piece of scotch tape. Direct smears were prepared with 10% potassium hydroxide as a fungal clearing solution (KOH) and stained with methylene blue. The presence and rate of Malassezia yeast colonization was determined according to the standard procedures by direct microscopic examination.
Results: From a total of 45 under studied patients, 66.7% had moderate to severe colonization of Malassezia yeast. In existence of sweating and stress factors, severe colonization with significant differences was seen (P< 0.05). In 8 cases (17.7%), mycelium form of yeast was observed. The highest mycelium observation was seen in existence of stress with significant differences (P< 0.05).
Conclusion: In most of patients, yeast colonization rate was more than mild status, that emphasize on the etiological role of Malassezia yeasts at least as exacerbating factor in seborrheic dermatitis. On the other hand, the role of factors such as sweating and stress in inducing of severe colonization and invasive form of Malassezia yeasts in SD was confirmed, that should be considered to be treated as well as SD in therapeutic procedure.
 

Background: Tinea versicolor (TV) is common superficial fungal infection of the human skin characterized by scaling macula and mild disturbance of skin observed as pigmented and depigmented regions. Typically, it affects the chest, upper back, neck and shoulders. However, rarely, involvement of other unusual regions of the body such as the scalp and face, arms and legs, palms and soles, groin, vagina and axillary region has been reported.
Case presentation: This case report is a case of axillary TV caused by Malassezia furfur that involved a 32-year-old woman that referred to Ghaem Medical Mycology Laboratory, Department of Health, Rescue and Treatment of Iran Police Force, in Tehran at February of 2018. Clinical appearance of lesions was erythematous or brownish pigmented macula with mild scaling of skin in involved areas. After sampling, to diagnosis, direct smears of 15% Potassium hydroxide (KOH) with scales and stained once with methylene blue were prepared. In direct microscopic examination, budding yeast cells with typical scar and short curved mycelium were observed. To identifying, culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar and modified Dixon agar media and other differential tests were performed. Finally, Malassezia furfur was identified as a causative agent of disease. The patient was taken on treatment of ketoconazole ointment for 4 weeks, approximately and lesions were disappeared.
Conclusion: Malassezia furfur can causes Tinea versicolor in uncommon region such as axillary location. The clinicians must be aware of these variations in location of TV and perform the appropriate diagnostic workup when lesions have the characteristic morphology of TV despite an unusual location in order to differentiation from other disease such as candidiasis and erythrasma.

Life expectancy has increased throughout the world and, as a result, the population of the elderly is also rising. From the age of 30 years old, the human body mass loses about 0.1 to 0.5% of its skeletal muscle mass annually, which is accelerated after the age of 65 years old. Aging is characterized by a decrease in the progression of musculoskeletal and physical activity known as sarcopenia. Sarcopenia has a complex molecular pathogenesis that includes age-related changes in muscles’ neuromuscular activity, muscle protein replacement, the hormone levels and the related sensitivity of human body to these mentioned factors. The pathogenic conditions and other disorders in sarcopenia are the chronic inflammatory states that include oxidative stress and changes in behavioral factors, especially in nutritional status and physical activity. By definition of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP), the diagnosis of sarcopenia is determined by the presence of two main factors which are low muscle mass and low muscle function. Besides, specific sarcopenia-related biomarkers have been identified for early diagnosis and accurate identification of the main pathophysiology mechanisms involved in the development of the disease. Since sarcopenia has adverse outcomes on public health in terms of behavioral factors, frailty, hospitalization and mortality of people, it is an important necessity for the social health system to plan some therapeutic approaches to prevention. The main and more important of these therapeutic approaches have known as exercises, nutritional supplements and hormonal therapies. Also, other new therapeutic strategies are under investigation to be introduced in the future. However, currently, it has been shown that only physical exercise has a positive effect on the controlling and prevention of sarcopenia and its adverse effects on human and public health. However, the role of appropriate nutrition is also effective. Therefore, carefully designed studies in terms of better utilization of physical activity are needed to achieve useful therapeutic results for sarcopenia management. Thus, this survey aims to review the other considerable studies on the pathogenesis, appropriate evaluation of the disease and treatment options for sarcopenia.

Background: Trichosporon species are commonly known as causative agents of skin infections and also responsive in some other systemic and disseminated diseases, especially in immunocompromised patients and those with leukemia or lymphoma. Chronic cutaneous infections with Trichosporon have been reported in non-immunocompromised patients, too.
Case Presentation: This study is a case report of tinea pedis caused by Trichosporon asahii in an immunocompetent 39-year-old man who was a member of the military force with continuous wearing of army boots during his daytime work. In April of 2019, after visiting a dermatologist, he was referred to the Ghaem medical mycology laboratory of the Department of Health, Rescue and Treatment of Iran Police Force in Tehran. Clinical symptoms were scaling and erythematous patches on his left foot with intensive itching for four-months. In the laboratory, macroscopic and microscopic examination using direct 15% KOH wet mount was carried out as well as culture methods on fungal media (Sabouraud's dextrose agar with and without cycloheximide and chloramphenicol). According to microscopic observation and appearance of culture media colonies, the diagnosis was Trichosporon genus as the fungal agent of disorder. Molecular method analysis (PCR) using amplification of ITS region with universal primers (ITS1 and ITS4) and sequencing identified Trichosporon asahii as a causative species of the disease. The patient was treated with topical clotrimazole (twice/day) and oral fluconazole (150 mg/day) for four weeks, and recovered.

Background: Medical Laboratories have a great impact on patient safety and 80-90% of medical diagnoses are based on the results of laboratory tests. Medical procedures from the initial diagnostic steps such as a test or a simple injection to specialized treatment steps may be erroneous. The aim of this study was to determine the type and rate of human error, equipment, materials and procedures in all stages including before analysis, during analysis and after analysis to analyze the causes and find logical solutions to reduce of them.
Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed in a medical center in Tehran, Iran during the years 1400-1401. Data collection was considered in accordance with the instructions of the Laboratory Affairs Department of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education regarding the type of errors in the field of job description in each of the technical and non-technical sections. Data was analyzed by IBM SPSS software, version 22 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) software.

Results: During the period of study, the number of  referred patients was about 45,000 and the number of tests 594,000. The total number of errors was 837. The ratio of errors to the patients was 1.9% and to the tests 0.15%. The 37 types of errors were identified and reported in this study. Of these, 11 types of errors were in the pre-analysis, 14 types during the analysis and 12 types of errors in the post-analysis stage. The frequency of errors in the three stages was 180(21.5%), 312(37.3%) and 345(41.2%), respectively that the errors rate did not have a normal distribution and a significant difference was observed (P<0.05, df=2). Conclusion: Due to the variety of reported errors and the importance of their role in other stages of diagnosis and treatment, it is necessary that all human, equipment and process errors in all stages of laboratory analysis be carefully recorded and corrective and preventive measures be taken to minimize them.