[The value of Gardnerella-vaginalis-culture in bacterial-vaginitis- score-confirmed bacterial vaginosis].

The relative value of a semiquantitative Gardnerella vaginalis culture for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis (BV) was studied in 113 women attending a STD clinic. The standard diagnosis of BV was based on the BV score, which is a 10-point grading system to evaluate gram-stained vaginal samples objectively and reproducibly. The sensitivity of G.

[Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome after L-tryptophan intake].

Since 1989 there has been an increasing number of reports on the association of L-tryptophan (LT) and eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS). It has now become evident that the clinical picture of EMS can vary. We report two further cases reflecting the clinical spectrum of the disease.

Hypo- and hyperpigmented areas in incontinentia pigmenti. Light and electron microscopic studies.

Incontinentia pigmenti is a rare genodermatosis typically involving three stages: vesiculae, verrucous lesions, and hyperpigmentation. We clinically and pathologically documented a case from shortly after birth until the age of 17 years. Although the first two stages took a regular course, the third stage of the disease was characterized by hypopigmented streaks on the legs in addition to axillary hyperpigmentation.

The relationship between characteristics of the tumor cells and sex of the patients in primary malignant melanomas.

Sex is a well proven prognosticator in primary malignant melanoma. We studied 19 parameters of tumor cells in primary malignant melanoma from 391 patients, the purpose being to determine if melanomas in men and women are alike. Apart from results in thin melanomas, no difference was seen between the sex groups.

Vulvitis granulomatosa and anoperineitis granulomatosa.

We present the case of a 77-year-old female with a rare genital and anoperineal granulomatous cutaneous manifestation resembling cheilitis granulomatosa Miescher. The typical histological findings of epithelioid cell granulomas were localized in the vulva and anoperineal region; the latter manifestation has not yet been described. Based on our personal observations and a review of the literature, the clinical and histological features of vulvitis granulomatosa are described.

Imaging pattern of radiolabelled lymphokine-activated killer cells in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma.

In patients with metastatic malignant melanoma the distribution patterns of radiolabelled lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells were investigated. Peripheral mononuclear cells (PMC) were isolated from six patients. LAK cells were generated by culturing PMC in complete medium containing 1000 U interleukin (IL)-2/ml and labelled with indium 111 before retransfer.

The skin: an immunoreactive target organ during interleukin-2 administration?

Six patients with metastatic malignant melanoma were treated systemically with dacarbazine and interleukin-2 (IL-2). During IL-2 administration all patients developed a macular erythematous rash followed by scaling which began 24-48 h after IL-2 infusion. The dermatological changes were associated with elevated interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha serum levels (immunoradiometric assay).

Intravenous single-dose ceftriaxone treatment of chancroid.

The antimicrobial susceptibility of Haemophilus ducreyi varies according to the geographic region. Increased resistance to trimethoprim and/or sulfamethoxazole led the Centers for Disease Control to recommend 250 mg ceftriaxone as a single intramuscular dose for chancroid. Intravenous or muscular routes of administration result in equivalent bioavailability.

Sweet's syndrome associated with Salmonella typhimurium infection.

A 41-year-old woman presented with the typical clinical and pathohistological features of acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis (AFND). The disease had been preceded by diarrhoea and vomiting for 2 weeks. Stool cultures proved positive for Salmonella typhimurium infection.

"Intravascular lymphomatosis" (angioendotheliomatosis): evidence for a T-cell origin in two cases.

Intravascular lymphomatosis (IL) is a rare and potentially fatal multifocal intravascular proliferative disorder, most often involving the skin and the central nervous system. Originally considered an endothelial disorder, IL has recently been reclassified as an angiotropic lymphoma, most often of B-cell origin. We report immunocytochemical and ultrastructural findings in two patients with IL, both representing angiotropic T-cell lymphomas.

[Florid oral papillomatosis: an indication for etretinate?].

Oral fluoride papillomatosis is a pseudocarcinoma of the mucous membranes, which often creates diagnostic and therapeutic problems. This paper reports oral flouoride papillomatosis in one patient, in whom the tumor mass could preoperatively be reduced by etretinate therapy (200 mg/day).

[Risk factors for the development of malignant melanoma in West Germany. Results of a multicenter-case control study].

In this multicenter case-control study (1,079 melanoma patients, 778 control persons), the significance of the well-known risk factors for the development of malignant melanoma (MM) was assessed for a German population. The multifactorial analysis of the data confirmed the total number of melanocytic nevi (MCN) as the most robust indicator for an increased melanoma risk. For persons with more than 50 MCN the relative risk was 4.

Hodgkin's disease followed by lymphomatoid papulosis. Immunophenotypic evidence for a close relationship between lymphomatoid papulosis and Hodgkin's disease.

The clinical association of lymphomatoid papulosis and Hodgkin's disease and the striking morphologic similarity of atypical cells in lymphomatoid papulosis to Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin's disease suggest that lymphomatoid papulosis and Hodgkin's disease are related. To test this possibility we studied the antigenic profile of Reed-Sternberg cells in the lymph nodes and of atypical cells in cutaneous lesions of lymphomatoid papulosis in two patients with Hodgkin's disease and lymphomatoid papulosis. In paraffin sections both cell types expressed CD30, CD45 T cell-restricted antigens, and occasionally CD15 antigens.

Differentiation between lymphomas and pseudolymphomas of the skin by computerized DNA-image cytometry.

The histologic and immunohistologic differential diagnosis between pseudolymphomas (PL) and malignant lymphomas (ML) of the skin can be difficult. Since DNA cytometry has been found to be of both diagnostic and prognostic value in various neoplasms, its ability to discriminate between ML and PL in Feulgen-stained imprints of 17 PL and 49 ML skin biopsies was examined by high-resolution image analysis. The reliability of the following algorithms of DNA distribution was evaluated: 1) 2cDI (2c-deviation index), which reflects the variation of the nuclear DNA values around the diploid DNA peak; 2) percentage of cells having a DNA value greater than or equal to 5c (5cER; 5c-exceeding rate); 3) percentage of cells presenting with a DNA value greater than or equal to 4c (4cER).

[Experiences with oxytetracycline treatment of non-gonorrhea urethritis caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum].

In a retrospective study, the efficacy of tetracycline therapy was assessed in 48 men with non-gonococcal urethritis who only harbored Ureaplasma urealyticum in their urethras. After 2 weeks of therapy with 2.0 g oxytetracycline per day, U.

[Unusual manifestation of scleroderma of the trunk].

We present the case of an 81-year-old women with progressive systemic scleroderma. In addition to the typical manifestations of diffuse (truncal) scleroderma, including involvement of the esophagus, lungs and muscles, there were two unusual findings: large, non-sclerosing areas on the trunk simulating the disabling type of circumscribed scleroderma and high titers of anticentromere antibodies, while there were no anti-Scl-70 antibodies. The disease responded to treatment with griseofulvin.

[Interleukin 2: immunologic background and clinical use in tumor therapy].

The cytokine interleukin 2 (IL 2) has proved to be an effective agent in immunotherapy of human cancers. Natural killer cells and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are activated via membrane receptors by IL 2. IL 2-activated natural killer cells and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes develop high cytolytic activity against a variety of tumor cells in vitro.

Prevalence of Ureaplasma urealyticum in the urethra of men without urethritis in relation to clinical diagnosis.

Ureaplasma urealyticum is one of the microorganisms possibly causing nongonococcal urethritis. In a prospective study, 606 men without urethritis presented to an STD clinic in a rural West German region were investigated for the prevalence of U. urealyticum in the urethra.