OBJECTIVE Autoimmune bullous diseases are heterogeneous diseases and the differentiation between the various bullous disease is important for treatment and prognosis. Direct immunofluorescence microscopy is still the gold standard in differentiating these diseases. Our aim was to determine the diagnostic accordance between clinical and histopathological/direct immunofluorescence diagnosis of pa...

A pair of monozygous twins concordant for both duodenojejunal villous atrophy and dermatitis herpetiformis are described, the first example to be reported in the literature. The observation provides strong support for the concept of an underlying genetic component being involved in the pathogenesis of these two conditions.

Dsg: desmoglein H&E: hematoxylin-eosin IL: interleukin PH: pemphigus herpetiformis INTRODUCTION Pemphigus herpetiformis (PH) is a rare variant of pemphigus and accounts for approximately 7% of cases. PH combines the clinical features of dermatitis herpetiformis with the histologic features of pemphigus. Clinically, the plaques are herpetiform or even annular. PH follows a more benign course wit...

Fifty seven children with dermatitis herpetiformis, 18 from Finland and 39 from Hungary, were studied. Diagnostic criteria included the finding of granular IgA deposits in the skin of all patients. The mean age at onset of the rash was 7 X 2 years and favoured sites were the elbows, knees, and buttocks. Symptoms suggesting small intestinal disease were rare but in 35 (61%) of the children subto...

We report an unusual case of Whipple's disease diagnosed with help from the patient himself. The patient presented with rash resembling dermatitis herpetiformis, constipation, and intermittent diarrhea. A suspicion of celiac disease led to duodenal biopsy, which showed features of Whipple's disease on histology and electron microscopy.

Three patients who developed hypersensitivity reaction at varying intervals after the initiation of dapsone therapy are described. Two of them had leprosy whereas the other had dermatitis herpetiformis. Their clinical manifes­ tations were not uniform. Although fatal complications have been reported, the unique role played by dapsone in the treatment of leprosy and the importance of recognizing...

BACKGROUND Autoantibodies against transglutaminase 2 (TG2) are thought to be responsible for the endomysial (EMA), reticulin (ARA), and jejunal antibody (JEA) tissue binding of serum samples from coeliac patients but the exclusive role of TG2 in these staining patterns has not yet been established. AIMS To evaluate whether antigens other than TG2 contribute to EMA/ARA/JEA reactions. PATIENT...