Alopecia areata (AA) is a nonscarring alopecia with an autoimmune etiology, unpredictable course, multiple presentations, and variable psychological distress. We conducted a cross-sectional study which included 126 patients with AA. A complete medical history was documented using the Severity Alopecia Tool (SALT) to assess the severity of the disease, and the following questionnaires were applied to the participants: the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Plutchik Suicide Risk Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) for adults. The Child Dermatology Life Quality Index (cDLQI) and the Birleson Depression Self-Rating Scale questionnaires were applied for children. Quality of life (QoL) disturbance was detected in 77.6% of adult participants, 65.9% of them had signs of depression or anxiety, and 12.8% were at risk of committing suicide. The PSS-14 average score for adults was 24.5. QoL disturbance was detected in 76.7% of children participants, and 6.3% of them showed signs of depression with the Birleson Depression Self-Rating Scale. We conclude that patients with AA could experience changes in their QoL and signs of depression, anxiety, and suicide risk, mainly in the adult population, during the course of the disease.

Background Mycobacterium leprae was thought to be the exclusive causative agent of leprosy until Mycobacterium lepromatosis was identified in a rare form of leprosy known as diffuse lepromatous leprosy (DLL). Methods We isolated M. lepromatosis from a patient with DLL and propagated it in athymic nude mouse footpads. Genomic analysis of this strain (NHDP-385) identified a unique repetitive element, RLPM, on which a specific real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay was developed. The RLPM assay, and a previously developed RLEP quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay for M. leprae, were validated as clinical diagnostic assays according to Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments guidelines. We tested DNA from archived histological sections, patient specimens from the United States, Philippines, and Mexico, and US wild armadillos. Results The limit of detection for the RLEP and RLPM assays is 30 M. leprae per specimen (0.76 bacilli per reaction; coefficient of variation, 0.65%–2.44%) and 122 M. lepromatosis per specimen (3.05 bacilli per reaction; 0.84%–2.9%), respectively. In histological sections (n = 10), 1 lepromatous leprosy (LL), 1 DLL, and 3 Lucio reactions contained M. lepromatosis; 2 LL and 2 Lucio reactions contained M. leprae; and 1 LL reaction contained both species. M. lepromatosis was detected in 3 of 218 US biopsy specimens (1.38%). All Philippines specimens (n = 180) were M. lepromatosis negative and M. leprae positive. Conversely, 15 of 47 Mexican specimens (31.91%) were positive for M. lepromatosis, 19 of 47 (40.43%) were positive for M. leprae, and 2 of 47 (4.26%) contained both organisms. All armadillos were M. lepromatosis negative. Conclusions The RLPM and RLEP assays will aid healthcare providers in the clinical diagnosis and surveillance of leprosy.

Vitiligo has a minimal impact on the QOL of our patients. QOL was worse in patients with genital lesions.

Isotretinoin is an effective treatment for recalcitrant flat facial warts with a well-known, manageable safety profile.

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