Dermatoses Due to Plants
Abstract Plant constituents produce a variety of adverse cutaneous reactions, including a significant proportion of cases of allergic contact dermatitis. This chapter describes the small minority of plants that cause…
Occupational Dermatoses
Abstract Occupational dermatoses comprise any skin disease in which occupational exposure is a major causal or contributory factor. After psychological and musculoskeletal disorders, the skin is one of the most…
The Biology of the Basement Membrane
Abstract Basement membranes represent highly specialized matrices at the interface of cells and stroma. As adhesive units composed of intricately organized intracellular, transmembrane, and extracellular proteins, basement membranes provide tissues…
Drug Reactions
Abstract The skin is one of the most common targets for adverse drug reactions. Approximately 2% of all drug-induced skin reactions are considered “serious” based upon the World Health Organization…
Cutaneous Vasculitis
Abstract A diverse array of entities can present with cutaneous vasculitis, and the characteristic skin findings reflect the caliber of inflamed blood vessel – small, medium-sized, or large. While cutaneous…
Cutaneous Manifestations of Microvascular Occlusion Syndromes
Abstract Microvascular occlusion in the skin may have distinctively patterned lesions, such as retiform purpura, and is clinically important to recognize and distinguish from cutaneous vasculitis in order to determine…
Eosinophil-Associated Dermatoses
Abstract The eosinophil circulates as a mature cell in the blood and infiltrates tissue in response to certain signals. Eosinophils are found in various inflammatory and neoplastic dermatoses, including the…
Purpura: Mechanisms and Differential Diagnosis
Abstract Purpura is a sign of several different processes including trauma, thrombocytopenia, anticoagulant use, cutaneous small vessel vasculitis, septic emboli and vascular coagulopathies, and is due to cutaneous hemorrhage. The…
Erythema Multiforme, Stevens–Johnson Syndrome, and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis
Abstract Until recently, the nosology of severe acute bullous disorders due to infectious agents or drugs has been confusing. It has now become clear that Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic…
Urticaria and Angioedema
Abstract Urticaria is characterized by transient skin or mucosal swellings due to plasma leakage. When the swelling is superficial within the dermis, pruritic wheals appear, whereas when deep, angioedema is…
