BACKGROUND/AIMS Dry skin, or xerosis, is a common condition and a key feature of skin diseases like atopic dermatitis (AD) and ichthyosis vulgaris. Foot xerosis may exist without underlying disease and could be related to very mild forms of AD or ichthyosis vulgaris. The synthesis of important skin lipids (cholesterol, free fatty acids and ceramides) is reduced in xerosis and AD, and reduced li...

Sessile cultures of the skin bacteria Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Corynebacterium xerosis were grown using novel fine-celled foam substrata to test the outcome of challenge by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa under three growth medium regimens (simulated sweat, simulated serum or simulated sweat substituted with simulated serum during the microbial chal...

A previous report (Fells and Bors, I969) has described the case of a 25-year-old man who had deliberately, but illogically, omitted from his diet for 5 years all foods containing vitamin A or the precursor carotenoids, in response to his own idea that vitamin A was responsible for his grand mal epilepsy. He was observed from the onset of ocular symptoms in March, i968, to July, I969, during whi...

The ocular surface is continuously exposed to potential pathogens, including free-living amoebae. Acanthamoeba species are among the most ubiquitous amoebae, yet Acanthamoeba keratitis is remarkably rare. The pathogenesis of Acanthamoeba keratitis is a complex, sequential process. Here we show that Acanthamoeba keratitis is profoundly affected by mannosylated proteins on the ocular surface, whi...

Forty three patients with cystic fibrosis, aged 8-44 years (median 16 years), were examined for evidence of vitamin A deficiency. Eight patients had abnormal dark adaptation tests and three had conjunctival xerosis. Serum vitamin A and retinol binding protein concentrations were significantly lower in the affected patients who were also more likely to have abnormal liver function tests. Five pa...

The present study was conceptualized to evaluate the heavy metal absorbing potential of microbes isolated from paper industry effluent. The effluent was used as the source sample, after screening morpho-metrically ten strains were cultured and sub cultured to achieve the pure discrete colonies. Out of ten discrete colonies two were found to have the heavy metal absorbing ability. These two bact...

Background: Itch associated with cutaneous xerosis is a common condition, which can be effectively treated with the use of emollients combined with hydration therapy. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a new lotion containing menthol and colloidal oatmeal in patients with itch and cutaneous xerosis. Patients and Methods: Fifty-four patients with pruritus of di...