A 14-year-old male presented with seven years history of recurrent episodes of fluid filled, itchy and eroded lesions over the body not responding to oral corticosteroids and azathioprine. Dermatological examination revealed crusted plaques and erosions in a seborrheic distribution. Histopathology…
Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering skin disease. Autoantibodies to BP180 and BP230 can be detected by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on different substrates (oesophagus, salt-split-skin, BP180-antigen dots, BP230-transfected cells) and ELISA. Here, we compared test characteristics of these test…
by Edward Tenner, M.D. INTRODUCTION The autoimmune bullous skin diseases, pemphigus (with major subsets pemphigus vulgaris, pemphigus foliaceus and paraneoplastic pemphigus) and the more common bullous pemphigoid (with variant disease phenotypes of cicatricial pemphigoid and gestational pemphigoid) each may have…
By Robert Jordon, M.D.Professor and Chairman, Department of Dermatology,University of TexasHouston, Texas Historical Perspective The term pemphigus was most likely in use in the ancient world, but the first recorded instance was by Hippocrates (460-370 BC) who described pemphigoid fever…
By Professor Martin M Black, MD Pemphigus and its variants are rare autoimmune disorders characterized by loss of cell to cell cohesion between keratinocytes leading to intra-epidermal blistering. In all types of pemphigus, antibodies are directed against antigens in the…
By Jean-Claude Bystryn, M.D. Professor of Dermatology Director of Immunofluorescence Laboratory The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology New York University Medical Center Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) can enter into remissions in which all manifestations of the disease disappear and all…
by Thierry Olivry, DrVet, PhD, DipACVD, DipECVD, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, NC State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of…
by Luis A. Diaz, M.D. Professor and Chairman Department of Dermatology Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin Pemphigus foliaceous (PF) one of the major clinical variants of pemphigus, is characterized by superficial blisters and anti-epidermal autoantibodies. The epidermal antigen with…
By Sergei A. Grando, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sci. Professor of Dermatology University of California Davis NPF Advisory Board Member The goal of my research is to develop a safer and more rational treatment for pemphigus. I am deeply concerned that we,…
Grant J. Anhalt, MD Head, Dermatoimmunology Department Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland Vice President in charge of Scientific Affairs, The International Pemphigus Foundation
Prior to the introduction of an effective therapy with oral corticosteroids in the 1950s, the disease had a dismal natural course with a 50% mortality rate at 2 years and 100%
