Aglossia-adactylia syndrome

Aglossia-adactylia is described in two male patients, aged 31 and 21 years old. Including a previous reported case (Nevin, Dodge, and Kernohan, 1970) there are three patients with this syndrome in Northern Ireland. The aetiology is unknown but in spite of the extreme variability of the clinical manifestation, a dominant mutant gene cannot be ruled out.

Contact dermatitis in animal feed mill workers

Three cases of contact dermatitis due to additives in animal feed substances are described occurring in animal feed workers. There were two cases of sensitivity to ethoxyquin and one to halquinol.

Erythropoietic protoporphyria. The problem of a suitable screening test

Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is characterized by increased red cell protoporphyrins and is included in the differential diagnosis of children presenting with photosensitivity. In the past 20 years, using the traditional solvent extraction qualitative screening test for blood porphyrins, the diagnosis of EPP had been missed in 9 out of 10 patients but recently, using fluorescence microscopy of erythrocytes, no patients with EPP have been missed. All 14 patients in Northern Ireland known to have EPP were recalled and it was found that fluorescence microscopic determination was positive in all cases. We recommend fluorescence microscopy as the screening test of choice for the detection of increased red cell porphyrins.