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BEYTHRASMA IN A HOSPITAL FOR THE MENTALLY SUBNORMAL
Author(s) -
SOMERVILLE DOROTHY A.,
SEVILLE R. H.,
CUNNINGHAM R. C.,
NOBLE W. C.,
SAVIN J. A.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1970.tb06832.x
Subject(s) - medicine , general hospital , family medicine
Summary— An investigation of the incidence of erythrasma amongst patients in a psychiatric hospital for the mentally subnormal is described. The axillae, groins and toewebs were examined and clinical erythrasma, showing characteristic coral‐red fluorescence under Wood's light, was found in 43% of the 874 patients examined. The incidence in the groins was 18%, in the axillae 4% and in the toewebs 30%. Fluorescence of other skin sites was also seen in a small proportion of the patients. Diphtheroids fluorescing on tissue culture medium No. 199 could be cultured from 35% of the fluorescent skin areas and from 25% of non‐fluorescing sites. The incidence of erythrasma increased with age but was unaffected by state of personal hygiene, although fewer of the patients with a reasonable level of cleanliness carried fluorescent diphtheroids on non‐fluorescent sites.