Sporotrichosis is the subcutaneous mycosis caused by several species of the Sporothrix genus. With worldwide occurrence, the State of Rio de Janeiro is presently undergoing a zoonotic sporotrichosis epidemic. The form of lymphocutaneous nocardiosis is rare, being caused especially by Nocardia brasiliensis. It appears as a nodular or ulcerated lesion, with multiple painful erythematous nodules or satellite pustules distributed along the lymphatic tract, similar to the lymphocutaneous variant of sporotrichosis. We present a 61-year-old man who, after an insect bite in the left leg, developed an ulcerated lesion associated with ascending lymphangitis, nonresponsive to previous antibiotic therapies. The patient was admitted for investigation, based on the main diagnostic hypothesis of lymphatic cutaneous sporotrichosis entailed by the highly suggestive morphology, associated with the epidemiologic information that he is a resident of the city of Rio de Janeiro. While culture results were being awaited, the patient was medicated with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim to cover CA-MRSA and evolved with total healing of the lesions. After hospital discharge, using an ulcer fragment, an Actinomyces sp. was cultivated and N. brasiliensis was identified by molecular biology. The objective of this report is to demonstrate a case of lymphocutaneous nocardiosis caused by N. brasiliensis after a probable insect bite. Despite the patient being a resident of the State of Rio de Janeiro (endemic region for sporotrichosis), it is highlighted that it is necessary to be aware of the differential diagnoses of an ulcerated lesion with lymphangitis, favoring an early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the illness.
Background: Frontal fibrosing alopecia is a condition of unknown origin, histologically similar to classic lichen planopilaris and generally observed in postmenopausal women with alopecia of the frontal-temporal hairline. oBjectives: To describe the clinical, dermatoscopic, and histopathological characteristics and the treatment used in patients who have frontal fibrosing alopecia at the Alopecia Outpatient Clinic in a university hospital. Methods: Retrospective descriptive study performed by reviewing medical charts and biopsies of the scalp. results: Sixteen patients were analyzed, all of them female, 93.75% of them postmenopausal, and 56.25% brown-skinned. All had frontal alopecia (100%), followed by temporal alopecia (87.5%) and madarosis (87.5%). On dermatoscopy, perifollicular erythema and tubular scales were found as a sign of disease activity. Of the patients, 68.75% had associated autoimmune diseases, including lupus, thyroid disease and vitiligo. Of the 13 biopsies from 8 patients, 10 showed microscopic aspects compatible with frontal fibrosing alopecia. Laboratory tests did not show major abnormalities and minoxidil was the most used treatment. study liMitation: Data collection limited by the study's retrospective design associated to flaws while filling in the medical charts and absence in standards to the collection and processing of the pathology and histopathological examination. conclusions: A demographical, clinical, and histopathological description of 16 patients diagnosed with frontal fibrosing alopecia, which remains a challenging disease, of unknown origin, and frequently associated with autoimmune diseases. This study reinforces literary findings. However, more research is needed to establish the pathogenesis and effective treatments.
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