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Query: UMLS:C0042109 (urticaria)
 6,569 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Considering the high incidence of chronic urticaria among female patients and the frequent difficulty in identifying the etiologic factor of factors the author decided to investigate the possible role of Candida albicans and other yeasts usually found as contaminants in certain foods and beverages or purposely cultivated for industrial products, as the sensitizing agents leading to the clinical picture of chronic urticaria. One hundred female patients with urticaria which had persisted for more than 6 weeks were selected and investigated, disregarding those with dermographism or cholinergic and cold urticaria. Aside from a careful history and laboratory tests to complement the physical examination that could rule out chronic bacterial infectious foci, intestinal parasitic infestation and thyroid disorders, intradermal skin tests with standard doses of Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other common environmental and food allergens were done. The patients' age ranged from 4 to 70 years. The skin tests sites were examined for Type I reactions at 15 and 20 minutes; for Type III reactions at 8 and 12 hours; and for Type IV reactions at 48 and 72 hours. When tested with Candida albicans antigen, 35% had Type I/III reactions and 60% presented Type IV reaction. When Saccharomyces cerevisiae antigen was used for testing, 29% had Type I/III reactions and none presented Type IV. Forty-nine of the sixty patients who presented Type IV reaction to Candida albicans had in the past significant vaginal discharge (or vaginal symptoms: burning, itching) that obliged the patients to consult a gynecologist, but only ten had stained smears and cultures from the vaginal secretions and four were told to have a monilia vaginal infection confirmed by the microbiological tests, although forty of them received Nistatin therapy at the time of the gynecological complaints. At the time the patients were seen by the allergist, complaining about urticaria, only four had symptoms and signs of monilia infection and were confirmed by culture: one presented oral moniliasis following broad-spectrum antibiotic, two had vaginal moniliasis developing right after their menstrual period; one had intestinal and cutaneous manifestations (perineal and crural) developing also after broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. All the four patients had exacerbation of the urticaria while undergoing the monilia infection. After 1-2 weeks of elimination diet, each patient was challenged with yeasts-containing foods (bread, buns, sausages, beer, wines, grapes, cheese, vinegar, tomato catsup). Twenty-five patients (71%) of the group who positively reacted with a Type I/III reaction when tested with Candida antigen, showed a positive provocation test (reappearance of urticaria) and twenty patients (69%) of the group who reacted with Saccharomyces had a positive challenge test...
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PMID:[Hypersensitivity to "Candida albicans" and other fungi in patients with chronic urticaria]. 77 52

Lupus erythematosis is a nodular skin lesion that usually occurs on the inner surfaces of the extremities, and is 5-7 times more common in women than in men, particularly between 20-30 years of age. It is diagnosed by biopsy since the associated symptoms of malaise, fever, and arthralgia are variable. Known agents to induce lupus are streptococcal infection, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, mycoses, medications particularly sulfa and oral contraceptive steroids, and a variety of other infections and allergies. A table is included in this review showing 8 cases of lupus erythematosus reported in the literature where oral contraceptive steroids were proved to be the etiologic factor, either by withdrawing and repeating pill prescription or by skin tests. The review ends with a list of other dermatological side effects of the pill, such as chloasma, acne, vaginal moniliasis, herpes, photosensitivity, and urticaria.
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PMID:[Etiologies of erythema nodosum (a little known etiology: estro-progestagens)]. 101 56