Background: Orsomucoid protein A (ORM) is a major acute-phase protein. Serum ORM (se-ORM) protein A elevates in infections, malignancies, and autoimmune diseases. Urinary ORM (u-ORM) protein A is more accurate and less invasive marker of inflammation. Elevated u-ORM was associated with pathomechanism factors related to psoriasis such as endothelial dysfunction; however, the clinical significance of it has not been explored yet. Aim: To evaluate se-ORM/u-ORM protein A and urinary orsomucoid protein A/urinary creatinine (u-ORM/u-CREAT) in patient with psoriasis and their relations to severity of the disease. Methods: This case-control study was conducted at Dermatology and Andrology Department; 35 psoriasis patients and 35 age-and sex-matched healthy controls were included. They were subjected to history taking and general and dermatological examination. Psoriasis severity was assessed by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score. Measurement of se-ORM/u-ORM protein A using ELISA and u-ORM/u-CREAT using colorimetric method.Results: Highly significant difference between psoriasis patients and controls regarding u-ORM protein A level (p value = 0.01). It was also higher in severe cases than moderate and mild ones and higher in moderate than mild cases (p value 0.001, 0.001, and 0.004, respectively). There were significantly higher u-ORM/u-CREAT (p ˂ 0.001) levels in psoriasis patients than in controls. Also, significantly higher U-ORM/u-CREAT levels were found in severe psoriasis cases than in mild and moderate cases (p = 0.003 and 0.006, respectively). While the se-ORM levels showed no significant differences between the studied groups.Conclusion: u-ORM/u-CREAT is a highly sensitive, easily available, and new inflammatory biomarker of psoriasis which correlates to the disease severity.

Introduction: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease with many risk factors including inadequate nutrient intake and nutritional deficiencies, which affect the immune system, and influence leprosy progression. Objectives: To elucidate the relation between the serum level of zinc, vitamin C, and selenium and the clinical spectrum of leprosy. Methodology: A case control study included 100 leprotic patients (50 multibacillary and 50 paucibacillary) and 100 age and sex matched controls. Vitamin C was measured by ELISA, zinc was measured by using centronic colorimetric spectrophotometry, and selenium was measured by Inductivity Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy technique. Results: Zinc and Vitamin C levels were significantly lower in paucibacillary (mean ± SD = 89.86 ± 20.712 and 2.52 ± 1.27 respectively) and multibacillary (mean ± SD = 81.41 ± 18.61 and 1.98 ± 0.59 respectively) than in controls (mean ± SD = 107.34 ± 3.98 and 4.95 ± 2.45 respectively) (p value < 0.001) with no significant difference between paucibacillary and multibacillary patients (p value = 0.142 and = 0.066 respectively). Selenium level showed no significant difference between the three groups (p value > 0.05) (mean ± SD = 51.27 ± 42.61 in paucibacillary, 47.54 ± 30.21 in multibacillary, and 44.07 ± 46.58 in controls). Conclusions: Lower serum levels of zinc and vitamin C in leprosy patients may be a result of disease pathogenesis or related to the antioxidants based treatment. It might also present prior to the disease onset due to malnutrition that may have accelerated the development of leprosy.

Background Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory illness that affects 2%–3% of the world's population. Granulysin (GNLY), along with granzyme and perforin, is a cytolytic antimicrobial peptide (AMP) released from the granules of both natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). By immunohistochemistry, it has been shown that GNLY expression increases in psoriasis lesions. Aims Our work aimed to reveal the potential effect of GNLY gene polymorphism and its association with psoriasis pathogenesis. Methods This case–control research included 25 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 25 healthy people who were age and gender matched. History taking and medical examination were done for all patients. Venous blood samples were withdrawn, DNA was extracted, and real‐time PCR was done. Results There was an insignificant difference between psoriasis cases and controls as regards gene sequence (p > 0.05). The polymorphism of GNLY gene regarding genotype distribution G/G was detected in seven patients with psoriasis (28%) and in only two controls (8%). This clarifies that GNLY rs 7908 G/G gene polymorphism may be a strong diagnostic tool for psoriasis. Conclusions In patients with psoriasis, the GNLY rs7908 CC genotype alongside with C allele played a preventative function and reduced disease severity (as shown by PASI score). Detection of GG genotype points out that a psoriatic case will run a progressive course, will have a severe pattern in the future, and will develop multiple site affection.

Viral warts of the skin are benign epidermal growths caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV). Some warts may have bad cosmetic appearance and may be destructive as in periungual warts or painful as in palmoplantar warts. 1 Also, recalcitrant warts continue to enlarge and multiply, resulting in more liability of spreading of infection that may make patients suffer from physical embarrassment and psychosocial distress, and also present a therapeutic challenge even for Dermatologists. 2 Resolution of warts can be occurred spontaneously in a high percentage of patients (60%-65%) within 1-2 years but, recalcitrance of warts may appear in about one third or more. 3 There is no specific definition of recalcitrance, but typically, recalcitrant