Isam Oumeish - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Isam Oumeish
Clinics in Dermatology, Jul 1, 2002
After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the United States launched Operation Desert Shield, i... more After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the United States launched Operation Desert Shield, in which a coalition of armies gathered in the desert of Saudi Arabia bordering Iraq and Kuwait. The war Desert Storm was launched when the troops moved into Iraq and Kuwait from Saudi Arabia. When the Iraqi army attempted to leave Kuwait, tens of thousands of Iraqis died during air strikes by the coalition armies. The total death count for US troops reached 372. Tragically, many of the deaths can be attributed to human error: 148 died in combat, 184 from accidents (primarily related to training and motor vehicles, in addition to WHAT), and 40 from illnesses.1 By the end of the Gulf War in February 1991, the number of military personnel in the Gulf zone included 697,000 Americans, 53,000 British, and 4,500 Canadians, in addition to a few thousands from other allied Arab countries. The war created a need for extensive medical support to meet the expected large number of casualties.2,3 In fact, morbidity and mortality rates were lower in comparison with those in previous wars.4 Desert Storm was not a war that involved direct confrontation. Instead, the war mainly involved the use of artillery, rockets, and missiles launched from air, sea, and ground, which led to fewer casualties. After American personnel deployed to the Gulf War returned to civilian life, thousands of veterans have sought medical care for symptoms that they perceive to be related to their wartime service. Many complaints have remained unexplained, despite extensive evaluations.5 During Desert Storm, many military personnel experienced war injuries, but more were exposed to a wide variety of hazardous substances. This exposure resulted in significant morbidity and played a role in the development of some skin disorders.6 Geography, Climate, and Environment of the Gulf Zone and Their Hazards
Clinics in Dermatology, Mar 1, 2006
Herpes gestationis, coined by Milton in 1872, or gestational pemphigoid is the most clearly chara... more Herpes gestationis, coined by Milton in 1872, or gestational pemphigoid is the most clearly characterized dermatosis of pregnancy. It is a rare vesiculo-bullous eruption that develops during the last trimester or even postpartum and creates severe pruritus. Its etiology is unknown, but it is considered as an autoimmune-mediated dermatosis closely related to the pemphigoid group. Herpes gestationis is associated with a positive C3 deposition along the base of the epidermis in salt-split skin, with increased frequency of HLA-DR3 and also the combination DR3 and DR4. It has a high risk of prematurity and disappears in the postpartum period within weeks or months.
Clinics in Dermatology, Jul 1, 2003
Malnutrition-The Silent Emergency O ver 200 million children in developing countries under the ag... more Malnutrition-The Silent Emergency O ver 200 million children in developing countries under the age of 5 are malnourished. Malnutrition contributes to more than one-half of the nearly 12 million under-5 deaths in developing countries each year. Some 600 million children still live in poverty, and Ͼ100 million, the majority of them girls, are not in school. 1 Malnourished children often suffer the loss of precious mental capacities. They fall ill more often. If they survive, they may grow up with lasting mental or physical disabilities. Malnutrition is implicated in more than half of all child deaths worldwide, a proportion unmatched by any infectious disease since the Black Death. Yet it is not an infectious disease. Malnutrition imperils women, families and, ultimately, the viability of whole societies. It undermines the struggle of the United Nations for peace, equity, and justice. It is an
Clinics in Dermatology, Nov 1, 2000
International Journal of Dermatology, Mar 1, 2006
A 56-year-old married female presented in May 1998 with a 5-month history of xanthelasma of the e... more A 56-year-old married female presented in May 1998 with a 5-month history of xanthelasma of the eyelids, followed 4 months later by two enlarged lymph nodes of the left side of the neck and three of the left axilla. At the same time, she developed xanthomatous patches on the face, neck, and shoulders (Fig. 1). The cutaneous lesions were xanthomatous nodules and plaques, affecting the periorbital regions. Later, the whole face was affected, followed by ulcerated lesions on the scalp, chest, back, and extremities (Fig. 2). The skin lesions became painful, pruritic, ulcerated tumors (Fig. 3). In July 1998, computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest and abdomen with contrast medium showed pretracheal, bilateral axillary, right retrochural, paracaval, aortocaval, and para-aortic lymph node enlargement. These findings were suggestive of lymphoma. CT scan also showed slight heterogeneous hypodensity in the upper part of the right lobe of the liver, suggesting fatty infiltration. The spleen, pancreas, and suprarenal glands appeared normal. One cervical and two left axillary lymph nodes were excised. They revealed total replacement of the nodular architecture by a diffuse proliferation of mature lymphoid cells having small nuclei and a crumbled chromatin pattern, and very rare mitosis. It was concluded from the lymph node biopsies that these changes were typical of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, diffuse and small cell type, of low-grade malignancy. A bone marrow aspirate showed a marrow heavily infiltrated by lymphoid cells with some immaturity. The megakaryopoiesis was adequate. Trephine biopsies showed similar changes. Iron stores appeared to be absent. The bone marrow picture was consistent with diffuse, well-differentiated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, developing into chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Endoscopy showed antral-type gastric mucosa exhibiting mild chronic gastritis. Skin biopsy from a fresh lesion on the back showed a diffuse inflammatory cell infiltrate with collections of histiocytic cells. It also showed necrobiotic foci, surrounded by mixed inflammatory cells, dark palisaded foamy histiocytes, and a few Touton giant cells. These findings are compatible with necrobiotic xanthogranuloma (NXG) (Figs 4 and 5). Blood film showed normochromic, normocytic erythrocytes with anisopoikilocytotic leukocytes and normal platelets. The sedimentation rate was 90 mm in the first hour. The blood picture also showed monoclonal IgG paraprotein (3170 mg/dL) of the kappa light chain type. The patient was treated by the oncologist for her lymphoma, and was given Cytoxan, prednisolone, endoxan, Leukeran, and melphalan. She showed an excellent response to pulsed treatment with steroids (60 mg prednisolone orally daily for 5 days, repeated every month for 6 months). She also responded to Leukeran at a dose of 5 mg daily for 5 days every month for 6 months, and showed regression in the size of the lymph nodes. The treatment of her skin lesions was unsatisfactory in spite of the fact that she was given cyclosporine and both systemic and topical corticosteroids.
Clinics in Dermatology, May 1, 2005
The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the sk... more The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the skin and carry with them significant morbidity. It is also to understand their etiology and nature to prevent their hazardous and serious complications which are life-threatening. Although most dermatologic disorders rarely have a fatal outcome, there are many potentially fatal medical disorders that have early or major dermatologic manifestations. Some cases lead to death because of the loss of barrier function of the epidermis with fluid and electrolyte loss or from systemic invasion of microorganisms. In others, dermatologic signs reveal an underlying systemic disease where death may occur from the underlying problem.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2002
embers of three taxonomic groups-protozoa, helminths, and arthropods-cause parasitic infections o... more embers of three taxonomic groups-protozoa, helminths, and arthropods-cause parasitic infections of the skin. Protozoans cause trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis, whereas cutaneous larva migrans and cercarial dermatitis are attributed to infections with certain helminths. On the other hand, cutaneous myiasis, tungiasis, scabies, and allergic and toxic reactions are caused by arthropods. These conditions, their significance, and their recent epidemiological developments, are reviewed in this article. The term "parasite" is derived from the Greek parasitos, to denote an uninvited person who has no place at the table but sits aside and receives leftovers. It refers usually to an animal or animallike protistan that lives on (ectoparasite) or in (endoparasite) another animal. In this animal-to-animal association, the parasite is benefited while the other animal, normally referred to as the host, is harmed, and the association is termed parasitism. The host unwillingly provides the parasite with a relatively stable biotic environment where nutrients, shelter, or both are provided. The host, however, does not sit idle but fights back, mainly through tissue reactions, digestive enzymes, and cellular or humoral responses. It is postulated that the longer the evolutionary relationship between the parasite and the host, the more adapted they are to each other. 1 The degree of association between the parasites affecting the skin and their hosts varies. Some spend their whole life cycle in the skin as is the case with Sarcoptes scabiei, but others come in contact with the host for a very short period of time as is the case with a female mosquito that comes to take a blood meal within a minute. In between these two examples, there are many parasites that vary in the duration of their association with the hosts. The parasites that affect the skin of infants and children are many and belong to either of the following three groups:
Skinmed, 2015
Psoriasis vulgaris is a common chronic, inflammatory, multisystem disorder that affects approxima... more Psoriasis vulgaris is a common chronic, inflammatory, multisystem disorder that affects approximately 1.5% to 3.4% of the population in the Middle East. The disease has an impact on the quality of life in a significant number of affected patients. The majority of patients (approximately 70%) have mild to moderate psoriasis that is manageable with topical agents, which generally show a high efficacy to safety ratio. Topical agents can be used alone when treating patients with limited disease or may be used as adjunctive therapy for patients with more extensive psoriasis undergoing systemic treatment. Treatment should also be customized to meet individual patients' needs. To optimize the topical treatment of psoriasis in the Levant and Iraq area, dermatology experts from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria met and initiated a project to develop guidelines and recommendations for the topical management of psoriasis. The guidelines are based on literature evidence and expert...
Clinics in Dermatology, May 1, 2005
The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the sk... more The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the skin and carry with them significant morbidity. It is also to understand their etiology and nature to prevent their hazardous and serious complications which are life-threatening. Although most dermatologic disorders rarely have a fatal outcome, there are many potentially fatal medical disorders that have early or major dermatologic manifestations. Some cases lead to death because of the loss of barrier function of the epidermis with fluid and electrolyte loss or from systemic invasion of microorganisms. In others, dermatologic signs reveal an underlying systemic disease where death may occur from the underlying problem.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2002
International Journal of Dermatology, 2006
A 56-year-old married female presented in May 1998 with a 5-month history of xanthelasma of the e... more A 56-year-old married female presented in May 1998 with a 5-month history of xanthelasma of the eyelids, followed 4 months later by two enlarged lymph nodes of the left side of the neck and three of the left axilla. At the same time, she developed xanthomatous patches on the face, neck, and shoulders . The cutaneous lesions were xanthomatous nodules and plaques, affecting the periorbital regions. Later, the whole face was affected, followed by ulcerated lesions on the scalp, chest, back, and extremities . The skin lesions became painful, pruritic, ulcerated tumors ).
Clinics in Dermatology, 2003
Clinics in Dermatology, 2002
Clinics in Dermatology, 2004
In spite of the various attempts by health care workers to reduce the morbidity and mortality of ... more In spite of the various attempts by health care workers to reduce the morbidity and mortality of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), more than 15 million persons acquire STDs each year in the United States. The situation is more serious in developing countries and, in particular, Africa and Southeast Asia. The causes of the increase in STDs are many, but we believe that alterations in family structures, drug and alcohol addiction, wars and mobilization of armies and movement of populations, in addition to change in sexual behaviors and lax morality are the main ones. Education, counseling, and community understanding of the risks of STDs are very essential factors in prevention and control. Physicians need to recognize the manifestations of STDSs and start the treatment as early as possible, but at the same time, more efforts are needed for prevention.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2000
Clinics in Dermatology, 2002
Clinics in Dermatology, 2005
The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the sk... more The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the skin and carry with them significant morbidity. It is also to understand their etiology and nature to prevent their hazardous and serious complications which are life-threatening. Although most dermatologic disorders rarely have a fatal outcome, there are many potentially fatal medical disorders that have early or major dermatologic manifestations. Some cases lead to death because of the loss of barrier function of the epidermis with fluid and electrolyte loss or from systemic invasion of microorganisms. In others, dermatologic signs reveal an underlying systemic disease where death may occur from the underlying problem.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2006
Herpes gestationis, coined by Milton in 1872, or gestational pemphigoid is the most clearly chara... more Herpes gestationis, coined by Milton in 1872, or gestational pemphigoid is the most clearly characterized dermatosis of pregnancy. It is a rare vesiculo-bullous eruption that develops during the last trimester or even postpartum and creates severe pruritus. Its etiology is unknown, but it is considered as an autoimmune-mediated dermatosis closely related to the pemphigoid group. Herpes gestationis is associated with a positive C3 deposition along the base of the epidermis in salt-split skin, with increased frequency of HLA-DR3 and also the combination DR3 and DR4. It has a high risk of prematurity and disappears in the postpartum period within weeks or months.
Skinmed, 2015
Psoriasis vulgaris is a common chronic, inflammatory, multisystem disorder that affects approxima... more Psoriasis vulgaris is a common chronic, inflammatory, multisystem disorder that affects approximately 1.5% to 3.4% of the population in the Middle East. The disease has an impact on the quality of life in a significant number of affected patients. The majority of patients (approximately 70%) have mild to moderate psoriasis that is manageable with topical agents, which generally show a high efficacy to safety ratio. Topical agents can be used alone when treating patients with limited disease or may be used as adjunctive therapy for patients with more extensive psoriasis undergoing systemic treatment. Treatment should also be customized to meet individual patients' needs. To optimize the topical treatment of psoriasis in the Levant and Iraq area, dermatology experts from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria met and initiated a project to develop guidelines and recommendations for the topical management of psoriasis. The guidelines are based on literature evidence and expert...
Clinics in Dermatology, Jul 1, 2002
After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the United States launched Operation Desert Shield, i... more After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the United States launched Operation Desert Shield, in which a coalition of armies gathered in the desert of Saudi Arabia bordering Iraq and Kuwait. The war Desert Storm was launched when the troops moved into Iraq and Kuwait from Saudi Arabia. When the Iraqi army attempted to leave Kuwait, tens of thousands of Iraqis died during air strikes by the coalition armies. The total death count for US troops reached 372. Tragically, many of the deaths can be attributed to human error: 148 died in combat, 184 from accidents (primarily related to training and motor vehicles, in addition to WHAT), and 40 from illnesses.1 By the end of the Gulf War in February 1991, the number of military personnel in the Gulf zone included 697,000 Americans, 53,000 British, and 4,500 Canadians, in addition to a few thousands from other allied Arab countries. The war created a need for extensive medical support to meet the expected large number of casualties.2,3 In fact, morbidity and mortality rates were lower in comparison with those in previous wars.4 Desert Storm was not a war that involved direct confrontation. Instead, the war mainly involved the use of artillery, rockets, and missiles launched from air, sea, and ground, which led to fewer casualties. After American personnel deployed to the Gulf War returned to civilian life, thousands of veterans have sought medical care for symptoms that they perceive to be related to their wartime service. Many complaints have remained unexplained, despite extensive evaluations.5 During Desert Storm, many military personnel experienced war injuries, but more were exposed to a wide variety of hazardous substances. This exposure resulted in significant morbidity and played a role in the development of some skin disorders.6 Geography, Climate, and Environment of the Gulf Zone and Their Hazards
Clinics in Dermatology, Mar 1, 2006
Herpes gestationis, coined by Milton in 1872, or gestational pemphigoid is the most clearly chara... more Herpes gestationis, coined by Milton in 1872, or gestational pemphigoid is the most clearly characterized dermatosis of pregnancy. It is a rare vesiculo-bullous eruption that develops during the last trimester or even postpartum and creates severe pruritus. Its etiology is unknown, but it is considered as an autoimmune-mediated dermatosis closely related to the pemphigoid group. Herpes gestationis is associated with a positive C3 deposition along the base of the epidermis in salt-split skin, with increased frequency of HLA-DR3 and also the combination DR3 and DR4. It has a high risk of prematurity and disappears in the postpartum period within weeks or months.
Clinics in Dermatology, Jul 1, 2003
Malnutrition-The Silent Emergency O ver 200 million children in developing countries under the ag... more Malnutrition-The Silent Emergency O ver 200 million children in developing countries under the age of 5 are malnourished. Malnutrition contributes to more than one-half of the nearly 12 million under-5 deaths in developing countries each year. Some 600 million children still live in poverty, and Ͼ100 million, the majority of them girls, are not in school. 1 Malnourished children often suffer the loss of precious mental capacities. They fall ill more often. If they survive, they may grow up with lasting mental or physical disabilities. Malnutrition is implicated in more than half of all child deaths worldwide, a proportion unmatched by any infectious disease since the Black Death. Yet it is not an infectious disease. Malnutrition imperils women, families and, ultimately, the viability of whole societies. It undermines the struggle of the United Nations for peace, equity, and justice. It is an
Clinics in Dermatology, Nov 1, 2000
International Journal of Dermatology, Mar 1, 2006
A 56-year-old married female presented in May 1998 with a 5-month history of xanthelasma of the e... more A 56-year-old married female presented in May 1998 with a 5-month history of xanthelasma of the eyelids, followed 4 months later by two enlarged lymph nodes of the left side of the neck and three of the left axilla. At the same time, she developed xanthomatous patches on the face, neck, and shoulders (Fig. 1). The cutaneous lesions were xanthomatous nodules and plaques, affecting the periorbital regions. Later, the whole face was affected, followed by ulcerated lesions on the scalp, chest, back, and extremities (Fig. 2). The skin lesions became painful, pruritic, ulcerated tumors (Fig. 3). In July 1998, computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest and abdomen with contrast medium showed pretracheal, bilateral axillary, right retrochural, paracaval, aortocaval, and para-aortic lymph node enlargement. These findings were suggestive of lymphoma. CT scan also showed slight heterogeneous hypodensity in the upper part of the right lobe of the liver, suggesting fatty infiltration. The spleen, pancreas, and suprarenal glands appeared normal. One cervical and two left axillary lymph nodes were excised. They revealed total replacement of the nodular architecture by a diffuse proliferation of mature lymphoid cells having small nuclei and a crumbled chromatin pattern, and very rare mitosis. It was concluded from the lymph node biopsies that these changes were typical of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, diffuse and small cell type, of low-grade malignancy. A bone marrow aspirate showed a marrow heavily infiltrated by lymphoid cells with some immaturity. The megakaryopoiesis was adequate. Trephine biopsies showed similar changes. Iron stores appeared to be absent. The bone marrow picture was consistent with diffuse, well-differentiated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, developing into chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Endoscopy showed antral-type gastric mucosa exhibiting mild chronic gastritis. Skin biopsy from a fresh lesion on the back showed a diffuse inflammatory cell infiltrate with collections of histiocytic cells. It also showed necrobiotic foci, surrounded by mixed inflammatory cells, dark palisaded foamy histiocytes, and a few Touton giant cells. These findings are compatible with necrobiotic xanthogranuloma (NXG) (Figs 4 and 5). Blood film showed normochromic, normocytic erythrocytes with anisopoikilocytotic leukocytes and normal platelets. The sedimentation rate was 90 mm in the first hour. The blood picture also showed monoclonal IgG paraprotein (3170 mg/dL) of the kappa light chain type. The patient was treated by the oncologist for her lymphoma, and was given Cytoxan, prednisolone, endoxan, Leukeran, and melphalan. She showed an excellent response to pulsed treatment with steroids (60 mg prednisolone orally daily for 5 days, repeated every month for 6 months). She also responded to Leukeran at a dose of 5 mg daily for 5 days every month for 6 months, and showed regression in the size of the lymph nodes. The treatment of her skin lesions was unsatisfactory in spite of the fact that she was given cyclosporine and both systemic and topical corticosteroids.
Clinics in Dermatology, May 1, 2005
The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the sk... more The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the skin and carry with them significant morbidity. It is also to understand their etiology and nature to prevent their hazardous and serious complications which are life-threatening. Although most dermatologic disorders rarely have a fatal outcome, there are many potentially fatal medical disorders that have early or major dermatologic manifestations. Some cases lead to death because of the loss of barrier function of the epidermis with fluid and electrolyte loss or from systemic invasion of microorganisms. In others, dermatologic signs reveal an underlying systemic disease where death may occur from the underlying problem.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2002
embers of three taxonomic groups-protozoa, helminths, and arthropods-cause parasitic infections o... more embers of three taxonomic groups-protozoa, helminths, and arthropods-cause parasitic infections of the skin. Protozoans cause trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis, whereas cutaneous larva migrans and cercarial dermatitis are attributed to infections with certain helminths. On the other hand, cutaneous myiasis, tungiasis, scabies, and allergic and toxic reactions are caused by arthropods. These conditions, their significance, and their recent epidemiological developments, are reviewed in this article. The term "parasite" is derived from the Greek parasitos, to denote an uninvited person who has no place at the table but sits aside and receives leftovers. It refers usually to an animal or animallike protistan that lives on (ectoparasite) or in (endoparasite) another animal. In this animal-to-animal association, the parasite is benefited while the other animal, normally referred to as the host, is harmed, and the association is termed parasitism. The host unwillingly provides the parasite with a relatively stable biotic environment where nutrients, shelter, or both are provided. The host, however, does not sit idle but fights back, mainly through tissue reactions, digestive enzymes, and cellular or humoral responses. It is postulated that the longer the evolutionary relationship between the parasite and the host, the more adapted they are to each other. 1 The degree of association between the parasites affecting the skin and their hosts varies. Some spend their whole life cycle in the skin as is the case with Sarcoptes scabiei, but others come in contact with the host for a very short period of time as is the case with a female mosquito that comes to take a blood meal within a minute. In between these two examples, there are many parasites that vary in the duration of their association with the hosts. The parasites that affect the skin of infants and children are many and belong to either of the following three groups:
Skinmed, 2015
Psoriasis vulgaris is a common chronic, inflammatory, multisystem disorder that affects approxima... more Psoriasis vulgaris is a common chronic, inflammatory, multisystem disorder that affects approximately 1.5% to 3.4% of the population in the Middle East. The disease has an impact on the quality of life in a significant number of affected patients. The majority of patients (approximately 70%) have mild to moderate psoriasis that is manageable with topical agents, which generally show a high efficacy to safety ratio. Topical agents can be used alone when treating patients with limited disease or may be used as adjunctive therapy for patients with more extensive psoriasis undergoing systemic treatment. Treatment should also be customized to meet individual patients' needs. To optimize the topical treatment of psoriasis in the Levant and Iraq area, dermatology experts from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria met and initiated a project to develop guidelines and recommendations for the topical management of psoriasis. The guidelines are based on literature evidence and expert...
Clinics in Dermatology, May 1, 2005
The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the sk... more The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the skin and carry with them significant morbidity. It is also to understand their etiology and nature to prevent their hazardous and serious complications which are life-threatening. Although most dermatologic disorders rarely have a fatal outcome, there are many potentially fatal medical disorders that have early or major dermatologic manifestations. Some cases lead to death because of the loss of barrier function of the epidermis with fluid and electrolyte loss or from systemic invasion of microorganisms. In others, dermatologic signs reveal an underlying systemic disease where death may occur from the underlying problem.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2002
International Journal of Dermatology, 2006
A 56-year-old married female presented in May 1998 with a 5-month history of xanthelasma of the e... more A 56-year-old married female presented in May 1998 with a 5-month history of xanthelasma of the eyelids, followed 4 months later by two enlarged lymph nodes of the left side of the neck and three of the left axilla. At the same time, she developed xanthomatous patches on the face, neck, and shoulders . The cutaneous lesions were xanthomatous nodules and plaques, affecting the periorbital regions. Later, the whole face was affected, followed by ulcerated lesions on the scalp, chest, back, and extremities . The skin lesions became painful, pruritic, ulcerated tumors ).
Clinics in Dermatology, 2003
Clinics in Dermatology, 2002
Clinics in Dermatology, 2004
In spite of the various attempts by health care workers to reduce the morbidity and mortality of ... more In spite of the various attempts by health care workers to reduce the morbidity and mortality of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), more than 15 million persons acquire STDs each year in the United States. The situation is more serious in developing countries and, in particular, Africa and Southeast Asia. The causes of the increase in STDs are many, but we believe that alterations in family structures, drug and alcohol addiction, wars and mobilization of armies and movement of populations, in addition to change in sexual behaviors and lax morality are the main ones. Education, counseling, and community understanding of the risks of STDs are very essential factors in prevention and control. Physicians need to recognize the manifestations of STDSs and start the treatment as early as possible, but at the same time, more efforts are needed for prevention.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2000
Clinics in Dermatology, 2002
Clinics in Dermatology, 2005
The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the sk... more The idea of this paper is to acquire a new view of some environmental conditions affecting the skin and carry with them significant morbidity. It is also to understand their etiology and nature to prevent their hazardous and serious complications which are life-threatening. Although most dermatologic disorders rarely have a fatal outcome, there are many potentially fatal medical disorders that have early or major dermatologic manifestations. Some cases lead to death because of the loss of barrier function of the epidermis with fluid and electrolyte loss or from systemic invasion of microorganisms. In others, dermatologic signs reveal an underlying systemic disease where death may occur from the underlying problem.
Clinics in Dermatology, 2006
Herpes gestationis, coined by Milton in 1872, or gestational pemphigoid is the most clearly chara... more Herpes gestationis, coined by Milton in 1872, or gestational pemphigoid is the most clearly characterized dermatosis of pregnancy. It is a rare vesiculo-bullous eruption that develops during the last trimester or even postpartum and creates severe pruritus. Its etiology is unknown, but it is considered as an autoimmune-mediated dermatosis closely related to the pemphigoid group. Herpes gestationis is associated with a positive C3 deposition along the base of the epidermis in salt-split skin, with increased frequency of HLA-DR3 and also the combination DR3 and DR4. It has a high risk of prematurity and disappears in the postpartum period within weeks or months.
Skinmed, 2015
Psoriasis vulgaris is a common chronic, inflammatory, multisystem disorder that affects approxima... more Psoriasis vulgaris is a common chronic, inflammatory, multisystem disorder that affects approximately 1.5% to 3.4% of the population in the Middle East. The disease has an impact on the quality of life in a significant number of affected patients. The majority of patients (approximately 70%) have mild to moderate psoriasis that is manageable with topical agents, which generally show a high efficacy to safety ratio. Topical agents can be used alone when treating patients with limited disease or may be used as adjunctive therapy for patients with more extensive psoriasis undergoing systemic treatment. Treatment should also be customized to meet individual patients' needs. To optimize the topical treatment of psoriasis in the Levant and Iraq area, dermatology experts from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria met and initiated a project to develop guidelines and recommendations for the topical management of psoriasis. The guidelines are based on literature evidence and expert...