Background:Demodex folliculorum (DF), which is a resident in human pilosebaceous follicles, has been implicated in infections of patients under cancer chemotherapy and with AIDS. Objective: We aimed to determine the influence of immunosuppression on carriage of DF. Methods: Mite density was compared, of 30 renal transplant (RT) patients under a combination therapy of cyclosporine, azathioprine and prednisolone with that of age- and sex-matched controls. Two samples of standardized skin surface biopsies were taken from each subject. Results: DF was not found in any of the RT patients while a mean density of 0.55 DF/cm² was present in healthy subjects (Fisher’s exact test, p < 0.0001). The relationship between mite density and classic risk factors was not found to be statistically significant (Fisher’s exact test, p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that there may be other factors than immunosuppressive therapy influencing DF density.

Our findings indicate that pregnancy may not have a direct effect on mite density.

Self-healing juvenile cutaneous mucinosis was encountered in a 15-year-old boy who presented with characteristic cutaneous findings and a clinical course of final spontaneous resolution. The interesting point is the presence of numerous nodules found in unusual locations. To date, nodules occurring on the long axis of the extremities have not been reported.

A 65‐year‐old woman presented to our clinic with a 2‐month history of papulopustular lesions on her right hand that had progressively increased in size and number. She had a 15‐year history of psoriasis vulgaris and had developed digital arthralgias within the preceding few months. A diagnosis of psoriatic arthropathy was made and she was treated by multiple intra‐articular steroid injections on the back of the right hand. One month after the last injection, the lesions had developed over the treatment area. The patient had no apparent history of trauma, but had grown flowers for years. Dermatologic examination revealed three fluctuating, erythematous, superficial, scaling nodules, measuring 0.5‐1.5 cm, on the second and fourth metacarpal bones and on the proximal phalanx of the fourth finger. Many scattered papulopustular lesions were also present on the back of the right hand (Fig. 1). 1 Nodules and papulopustular lesions found on the back of the right hand on admission Routine laboratory investigations, including urine analysis, complete blood count, sedimentation rate, glucose, liver function tests, renal function tests, total protein, and albumin were within normal limits. Chest X‐ray and right hand roentgenogram were normal. Microbiological examination of the aspiration fluid obtained from the nodules revealed Gram‐positive, acid‐resistant, filamentous bacteria with fine branching. The isolates were grown within a few days in blood agar and within a week in Lowenstein‐Jensen medium. The microorganism was identified as Nocardia brasiliensis. The patient was given trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (160/800 mg) twice daily for 6 weeks. It later became evident that the patient had stopped the treatment within 3 weeks, when a dramatic improvement was observed (Fig. 2). No recurrences were noted at 15 months. 2 Clinical appearance of the hand after treatment