Sir, Cutaneous metastases arising from internal malignancy are uncommon, and a zosteriform pattern is very rare. We report a case of colonic adenocarcinoma metastasizing to the left lower extremity in a zosteriform pattern. No herpetic cytopathic changes were noted, and cohesive malignant cells in the papulo-vesicular lesions were observed on a Tzanck smear. Mucin production from tumour cells i...

Herpes simplex and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) can have similar clinical presentations due to overlapping lesional morphology. We describe the unusual case of a BCC masquerading as herpes labialis due to a possible false-positive Tzanck smear. The confounding diagnosis led to a failed trial of valacyclovir and subsequent loss of the patient for 1 year before the lesion was biopsied and diagnosed...

The skin lesions of herpes zoster are classically limited to a single dermatome and most cases of multidermatomal herpes zoster have contiguous skin lesions. Simultaneous involvement of two noncontiguous dermatomes is very rare and it has been referred to as zoster duplex unilateralis or bilateralis, depending whether one or both halves of the body are involved. A 67-year-old woman presented wi...

BACKGROUND Balanitis xerotica obliterans is a subcategory of lichen sclerosus et atrophicus limited to the male genitalia and is associated with destructive inflammation, phimosis, urethral stenosis, and squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS The medical literature was searched from 1983-1998 using key words balanitis, lichen, and sclerosis using the MEDLINE system. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Balani...

Test ulcers with culture or PCR Genital and oral lesions consistent with herpes simplex lesions are relatively common in my practice. Before PCR testing was available, ulcers could be tested via culture—which took too long to be immediately useful—or via Tzanck smear, which helped greatly if multinucleated giant cells were seen. However, both tests were relatively insensitive. As this Clinical ...

The usual sites of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and 2 infections are orolabial and anogenital, respectively. HSV infection of the nipple and periareolar area is exceptional but probably underrecognized. Typical features include severe pain and erosive or ulcerated erythematous confluent clusters of lesions of the nipple and periareolar area. It is usually unilateral and not recurring. HSV ...

Kaposi's varicelliform eruption (eczema herpeticum) is the name given to a distinct cutaneous eruption caused by herpes simplex and certain other viruses that infect persons with preexisting dermatosis. Most commonly it is associated with atopic dermatitis. We report a case of a three-year-old atopic child who presented with extensive vesicular eruption suggestive of Kaposi's varicelliform erup...