bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
GD02 An Indian study of various unusual presentations of cutaneous tuberculosis: challenges in its diagnosis and management
Authors: Bhargava Shashank , Kumar Ujjwal 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is a serious health problem in both developing and developed countries. In India, cutaneous tuberculosis (TB) constitutes about 0.1–2% of all outpatients with skin diseases. We were surprised to see many cases of TB with unusual presentations, which led to a diagnostic dilemma. All suspected cases of cutaneous TB were studied over a period of 5 years (2017–2021). Written consent was obtained from all patients. Thorough dermatological examinations and later skin biopsy, Mantoux test, chest X-ray and other supporting tests were performed to confirm the diagnosis of TB. The treatment outcomes were also analysed. In total 88 patients were confirmed to have cutaneous TB. There were more female patients (58 of 88) than male. Lupus vulgaris (46 of 88) was the most common presentation, followed by TB verrucosa cutis (TBVC). Lupus vulgaris had head and neck involvement in the majority of the cases. Mantoux positivity was observed in 80% of patients (70 of 88), while raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was seen in 89% (78 of 88). A few cases of lupus vulgaris were very confusing and presented similarly to deep fungal infections, hypertrophic lichen planus, mycetoma, subacute lupus and cutaneous lupus erythematosus, to name a few. Other variants of EPTB also had very close differentials and were managed with antitubercular therapy (ATT). Seven patients had serology positive for HIV. Histopathology was conclusive in 93% of cases (82 of 88). All of the variants of cutaneous TB such as lupus vulgaris, scrofuloderma and TBVC responded excellently to ATT. In conclusion, the present study emphasizes the importance of clinicopathological correlation and therapeutic response in cutaneous TB. Although positive results of ESR, Mantoux reactivity and TB cultures facilitate the clinical diagnosis, negative results should not exclude the diagnosis of cutaneous TB. Also, cutaneous TB is a great mimicker in dermatology, especially in a tropical countries like India.
Historical H01 A published case of delusional parasitosis in an entomologist
Authors: Merchant Serena Altaf , Shah Syed Fazal Hussein 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Delusional parasitosis describes an individual’s false yet firmly held belief that they are infested with parasites crawling or burrowing under their skin. This can result in self-inflicted dermatoses as patients attempt to remove the ‘parasites’. A notable case of delusional parasitosis is that of Jay R. Traver (1894–1974), an entomologist who published her personal account of living with a ‘mite infestation’ (Traver JR. Unusual scalp dermatitis in humans caused by the mite Dermatophagoides. Proc Entomol Soc Washington 1951; 53: 1–25). Traver’s account, written alternatingly in first and third person, describes her condition as beginning with pruritic red papules of the scalp that progressed to nocturnal sensations of ‘something biting, scratching and crawling from place to place’. Traver trialled numerous topical treatments, including mercuric iodide and sulfur ointments. Alongside topical agents, Traver also tried ‘digging out’ the ‘mites’ with her fingernails, without success. However, her condition spread downwards to involve her eyes, ears and nostrils. On one occasion, Traver describes her eyes becoming so swollen that she was unable to move her eyeballs and experienced ‘sharp pin-prick like sensations in one eye’. Desperate for relief, Traver consulted a dermatologist, who she recounts disdainfully as advising that her symptoms were ‘largely imaginary’. Following 3 days of ineffective in-hospital treatment, Traver was referred to a neurologist, who assessed for a ‘psychoneurotic condition’. However, she ‘succeeded in convincing [him] that she had no need of his services’. Traver also sought advice from a parasitologist, to whom she mailed samples of the ‘mites’ that she caught through skin scrapings and inspecting her pillowcases. Traver’s published article describes these organisms in taxonomic detail as belonging to a family of rare dust mites, and includes several hand-drawn figures of the mites. Despite concerted efforts to identify a cure, Traver’s condition persisted for 40 years until her death in 1974. Today, Traver is recognized as having had delusional parasitosis. Her article is considered a textbook case of the condition, describing characteristic features such as the use of home remedies and self-mutilation to remove offending ‘mites’, preserving skin scrapings in paper and/or small jars, consulting multiple physicians while rejecting the possibility of psychological or other explanations, and shared delusions among family members. Debate continues as to whether Traver’s publication warrants retraction due to conclusions being drawn from data that were unconsciously fabricated in the author’s mind.
H04 A historical journey of the structure, texture, and identity of afro-textured hair
Authors: Fabusiwa Kemi , Vyas Aparna , Dear Kate 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
‘Braids of strength, history’s embrace, afro crown, a legacy we trace. Braids hold secrets, whispers of pride, Afro hair, a heritage we can’t hide’ – Anonymous.
Understanding the history of afro-textured hair takes us on a journey, illuminating the complex structure of the hair follicle, its unique texture, and the various sociocultural and political implications it has carried throughout the centuries. The journey begins in the ancient African kingdoms and stretches into the contemporary era, exposing the shifting attitudes, practices and perceptions of afro-textured hair. It paves the way for an understanding of maladaptive hairstyling practices that can lead to hair conditions such as traction alopecia, central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, and trichorrhexis nodosa, and it helps us to create a path for healthier hairstyling practices. The ancient African kingdoms, with their diverse cultures and traditions, held afro-textured hair in high esteem. The structure and texture of afro-textured hair, characterized by its tightly coiled strands and curved follicle, were not mere biological attributes but were integral to identity, status, and societal roles. Bantu knots from the Zulu tribe of South Africa were symbols of femininity and beauty. The braided crown, native to the Mangbetu people of Congo, were symbols of wealth and status, where beauty standards highlighted the elongation of the skull. And the Amasunzu style worn by the Hutu and Tzutzi population of Rwanda were worn in preparation for battle and therefore in preparation for death. Hairstyles were an art form, rich with symbolism, a canvas that depicted the individual’s life journey from birth to death. However, these hairstyles, handed down over centuries and once revered as symbols of status, strength and beauty, became a tool for racial segregation with the advent of slavery in the 1400s. Protective styles like braids were replaced with damaging hair-straightening practices including hot combs, flat irons and relaxing agents, to mimic European hair textures. These practices, often painful and damaging, were introduced in a bid to emulate European hair textures, reflecting the pervasive influence of racial hierarchies on self-perception and aesthetics. In conclusion, understanding the history of afro-textured hair provides a background that enables us to appreciate its natural structure and texture. It also underscores the importance of incorporating historical understanding into dermatological consultations and treatments, thereby ensuring culturally competent care. The history of afro-textured hair is more than a tale of evolving hairstyles; it is a reflection of the broader sociopolitical transformations experienced by ­people of African descent. Recognizing this historical context can change our attitudes, promote healthier hair practices, and encourage acceptance of afro-­textured hair in all its forms.
H06 The changing face of skin disease in warfare: from World War I to modern times
Authors: Shah Manu 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Skin disease has been always been associated with human conflict, causing considerable morbidity and removing soldiers from the battlefield. Records of skin disease in soldiers improved significantly from the early 20th century. Analysis of these quality data gives us an insight into the changing picture of skin disease across many theatres of war. In World War I, the most common skin conditions reported were bacterial infection (42%), scabies (28.5%), eczema/dermatitis (13%) and acne (5.4%). Interestingly, body lice were so common that cases were not routinely recorded, even though the association with typhus, which led to many deaths, was recognized. Trench foot, again common, was not routinely classified as a skin disease. By World War II, skin disease in combatants had changed considerably. Overall rates of skin disease varied by conflict zone from 25% (in temperate climates) to 75% (tropical climates). For example, the commonest skin conditions afflicting the British Army in India were fungal disease and scabies. The British Liberation Army found that their rates of skin disease doubled from July 1944 to March 1945, with high rates of eczema (42%) and bacterial infections (30.9%) and lower rates of fungal infections (5.1%) and scabies (7.4%). The dramatic difference between rates and types of skin disease reported in different climates is still seen today: 25.2% of medical consultations in the East Timor conflict (1999) were for skin disease, compared with 9.3% during the Gulf War (1990). Scabies became less important after World War II (apart from a small rise in the first Gulf War). In Vietnam (1965–70), dermatitis had become the most common skin problem (16.5%), with significant issues of fungal disease: mainly ‘jungle rot’ (a resurgence of the original trench foot, 13%), viral conditions including warts (11.5%) and acne (4.3%). Recent figures are similar for Afghanistan (2008–15), although cases of dermatitis had fallen (8.5%). The incidence of scabies in soldiers has hugely reduced since the World War I, probably due to effective treatments and improved military hygiene, as well as less prolonged, less intensive conflicts. Climate continues to play a major role in types and rates of skin disease. It is important to point out that skin disease, even in the modern age, continues to cause major morbidity among combatants, and soldiers need to be screened for pre-existing skin disease before being sent into combat zones.
H15 Inflammation of the hair follicle: multiple eponyms!
Authors: Yong Ji Fung , McFeely Orla , Griffin Laoise 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) had several different names in the past due to the bewildering history of conflicting bodies of knowledge and pathogenesis. In 1833, it was referred to as Velpeau disease, named after Alfred-Armand-Louis-Marie Velpeau, a French anatomist and surgeon, who was the first person who noted an unusual inflammatory process of the sebaceous follicle. He first described a ‘phlegmon tubériforme’ (tuberiform phlegmon) of the axilla, characterized by superficial abscess formation and often resulting in pain and suppuration. Velpeau then discovered painful induration and tumours, as a similar clinic aspect of HS, naming it ‘phlegmon érysipélateux’ (erysipelas phlegmon). In 1864, Verneuil renamed the disease to hidrosadénite phlegmoneuse, the French term for ‘hidradenitis suppurativa’, and defines it as a condition caused by inflammation of the sweat glands (hidradenitis) with pus collection (suppurativa). Later, Aristide Auguste Stanislas Verneuil, a French surgeon with special interest in skin and sudoral (sweat gland) tumours, found Velpeau’s discovery. He conducted the first clinical studies regarding this inflammatory condition from 1854 to 1865 and recognized that it was a disorder of sweat glands, earning it the name of Verneuil disease. In 1891, ‘acnitis’ and ‘folliclis’ were new terms introduced to describe HS as part of folliculitis, by French physician Barthélémy. However, these were soon rejected by French dermatologist William Auguste Dubreuilh, in favour of ‘hydrosadenitis’. In 1956, Pillsbury came up with the term ‘follicular occlusion triad’ as a group disorder consisting of HS, acne conglobata and dissecting cellulitis of the scalp. This decision was made on common features of follicular hyperkeratinization, with keratin retention complicated with bacterial infection in these conditions. Nineteen years later in 1975, Plewig and Kligman added pilonidal sinus to the follicular occlusion triad and introduced the new term ‘acne tetrad’. Histopathologically, all four entities are identical, with evidence of follicular occlusion causing inflammation of sweat glands. Given the inverse localizations of HS compared with the acne tetrad, Plewig suggested the term ‘acne inversa’ instead in 1989. In 2005, American dermatologists Sellheyer and Krahl observed histopathological evidence of hair follicle occlusion and noted clinical and therapeutic similarities to acne. They insisted on abandoning the name ‘HS’, replacing it with ‘acne inversa’. However, adversaries of the name ‘acne inversa’ contended that more research should be conducted, as histology alone does not define dermatology. HS is currently the recognized name of this disease, as agreement on its terminology has yet to be reached, despite centuries of research.
H16 Fake or bake…the history of tanning in the worlds of medicine and fashion
Authors: Ashraf Sana , Goh Alicia , Surgenor Laura , McKenna Kevin 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Over the years, the perception of health, beauty and status has been associated with skin colour. Influential figures over the ages, from Queen Elizabeth I to Kim Kardashian, have dictated social standards of beauty including the ‘ideal’ skin colour. In parallel, advancements in medicine and science have led to the use of light therapy as a treatment for many medical conditions. The history of tanning and the basis for society’s obsession are important to understand. During the Elizabethan era, Queen Elizabeth I used heavy layers of ‘Venetian ceruse’, a deadly concoction of white lead and vinegar, to achieve the porcelain skin that was desirable at the time. Members of high society followed suit, as tanned skin was associated with outdoor manual labour. During the Industrial Revolution, social perception turned on its head as the rural poor moved to work in mills and factories in the 18th century. Working in sunlight-depleted environments resulted in pallor being associated with low social status. In the 1920s, the French designer and fashion icon Coco Chanel famously returned from the French Riviera with a suntan and announced in Vogue magazine that, ‘the 1929 girl must be tanned…a golden tan is the index of chic’, leading to her accreditation for beginning the fashionable trend of a suntan in modern history and the present day. From ‘Malibu Barbie’ dolls in the 1970s to Kim Kardashian showing off her office sunbed in 2024, the Western beauty ideal of tanned skin is continually perpetuated. Parallel to the beauty world, the novel idea of phototherapy and its successful treatment of lupus vulgaris resulted in Niels Finsen receiving the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1903. Further development of indoor tanning devices in the 1920s led to their promotion as treatment for diverse conditions from rickets to pneumonia. In the 1970s, the first commercial sunbed was invented by European scientist Friedrich Wolff, culminating in 1977 with the world’s first tanning salon in Berlin. By the 1980s the association of sunbed use and skin cancer was observed. As a result, nonultraviolet tanning methods were popularized, from teabags in the 1950s to the revolutionary discovery of dihydroxyacetone in the 1960s, resulting in ‘fake tan’ as we know it today and allowing for safer methods of attaining the desired glow. Ultimately, tanned skin rose from a hallmark of low socioeconomic status in history, to now reflect the opposite: wealth, health and beauty.
H18 Scabies: can we repurpose treatments from the past?
Authors: Shakeel Musfira , Price William , Shah Manu 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
The UK is currently in the grip of a scabies epidemic. Current treatments seem to be either unavailable or ineffective, with multiple cases of permethrin resistance being reported. The British Association of Dermatologists has highlighted the shortage of scabies treatments and the lack of national tracking of cases. Scabies is not new, so can we learn from experiences and treatments of the past to help us in the present and the future? Scabies has irritated mankind for hundreds of thousands of years. The first treatments were based on sulfur and have been used for at least 5000 years. Sulfur is an irritant; it is unpleasant to use but can be effective. Lindane, created in 1825 but not used commercially until the 20th century is rarely used now due to its neurotoxicity and possible carcinogenic nature. It is still available but is banned in many countries. More treatments became available in the early 20th century due to the explosion of scabies cases associated with World War I. Benzyl benzoate, balsam of Peru and beta-naphthol were all successfully used to treat thousands of afflicted infantrymen. All have their limitations: benzyl benzoate and balsam of Peru commonly cause allergic reactions, and beta-naphthol may cause death. A reformulation of benzyl benzoate may be possible (its cure rate is a remarkable 86%), but overuse can lead to neurotoxicity. Dermatologists in World War II experimented with their own recipes. John Ingram reported in 1942 that a benzyl benzoate lotion of ‘equal parts soft soap and spirit’ gave ‘excellent results and caused no skin irritation’. New uses of old medicines may be one way forward. Tea tree oil has scabicide properties and is undergoing investigations for possible topical use. Oral ivermectin (discovered in 1975), although currently not licensed for scabies in humans, will probably be used in thousands of patients if the current surge of cases continues. There is the possibility that the topical form of ivermectin could be equally effective, and further studies are needed. Better formulation of old drugs may be possible to make them less irritant and cause fewer allergic reactions. Our current reliance on a tiny range of ‘safe’ topical therapies for treating scabies is clearly not working as the incidence of cases continues to rise. While work on developing new treatments and ways of dealing with this timeless problem continue, we also need to explore old treatments and reformulate irritant therapies.
H19 Not only a finder of ‘solutions’: Max Jessner, Holocaust survivor and discoverer of Jessner–Kanof lymphocytic infiltrate
Authors: McAllister Lucy , Hiranput Siwaporn , Yesudian Paul Devakar 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Max Jessner’s name is renowned for his codiscovery of Jessner–Kanof disease and his eponymous peel. However, unknown to many, Jessner faced many uncertainties in his lifetime and lived in a frequent state of movement. Max Jessner read medicine at the universities of Munich and Königsberg (now Kaliningrad). After graduation, he trained in dermatology clinics under Albert Neisser in Breslau (now Wroclaw) before moving to Bern, Switzerland to become assistant to Joseph Jadassohn from 1912 to 1914. Like his father, dermatologist Samuel Jessner, Max Jessner initially developed his specialism in the studies of syphilis, namely through an expedition to Buryat-Mongolia, to study the effect of salvarsan, an antisyphilitic agent. On his return in 1920, he moved to the University of Breslau, where he continued to work alongside Jadassohn as head of the dermatology department. Due to growing anti-Semitism in Europe, Jessner’s resignation was forced just 4 years later. He was permitted to emigrate to Switzerland but ultimately evaded persecution by leaving Europe and continuing a career in New York, like many other European dermatologists of Jewish descent facing oppression during the Third Reich. In the USA, Jessner lived in a tight-knit community socializing with other dermatologists including Hans Biberstein. Arguably Jessner’s greatest accomplishment was achieved in 1953 while working at the New York Skin and Cancer unit, with the description of Jessner–Kanof lymphocytic infiltrate, a photosensitive lymphocytic disorder now believed to be on the same disease spectrum as lupus tumidus. In the same decade, Jessner published his seminal paper on his self-named solution, an augmented formula of a well-known peel containing lactic acid, salicylic acid and resorcinol. The modified form is a tolerable and effective agent for hyperkeratotic disorders and remains popular in the treatment of acne scarring, pigmentation and rhytides. Max Jessner was born on 2 November 1887, in Slupsk, Poland. In 1971 he returned to Europe, where he spent much of his retirement. Jessner died in Switzerland at age 91. Max Jessner was survived by his wife Marianne, and children Peter and Sabine Jessner. His only sibling, Fritz Jessner, was a theatre director in Boston. Jessner’s esteemed career, his contribution to the field of dermatology and his resilience to continue in his profession despite many major obstacles will be remembered for years to come.
H21 These Barbies were dermatologists
Authors: Quigley Claire 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Greta Gerwig’s 2023 Barbie blockbuster provided an infectious reminder that women are capable of the success of their male counterparts, as well as emphasizing the impressiveness of female empowerment and leadership. Luckily, in dermatology, we have had this leadership from the beginning. According to the 2022 UK consensus of consultant physicians, women make up 51% of higher specialty trainees, and there have been more women than men in training since 2013. However, despite this, only 41% of the consultant physician workforce are women while 59% are men (Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. Focus on Physicians. Census of Consultant Physicians and Higher Specialty Trainees in the UK 2016–17. Edinburgh: Royal College of Physicians, 2017). However, dermatology stands out as a female-predominant area of specialization. In the UK in 2016, 57% of consultants and 75% of higher specialty trainees in dermatology were women [Royal College of Physicians. The UK 2022 census of consultant physicians. Available at: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/projects/outputs/uk-2022-census-consultant-physicians (last accessed 29 February 2024)]. There is likely a multitude of reasons contributing to this, but the historical influence of prominent female leaders in the specialty cannot be ignored. Presented here are a select group of pioneering female dermatologists whose careers and contributions to the field of dermatology paved the way for the development of one of the few female-dominated medical specialties. Helen Ollendorff-Curth was a female pioneer of genodermatology and is commemorated with four eponyms: the Ollendorff probe sign, the Curth criteria, Buschke–Ollendorff syndrome, and ichthyosis hystrix, Curth–Macklin type (IHCM). Loretta Joy Cummins was the first woman to pass the Dermatology Board examination in the USA and the first to be president of the New England Dermatological Society. Cummins founded a fund for Massachusetts General Hospital and a scholarship fund for women at Tufts Medical School. Agnes Blackadder was the first female consultant dermatologist in the UK, when she was appointed consultant dermatologist at St John’s Hospital, London in 1907. Daisy Maude Orleman Robinson’s achievements include becoming the first female dermatologist in the USA in 1905, as well as being the first female dermatologist to present a case at a dermatological meeting, to publish a scholarly paper in dermatology, and to present a case at an international dermatology meeting. These influential women were catalysts for creating and cultivating a specialty that promotes female leadership in the world of dermatology, medicine and science.