Serious health threat of mucormycosis during the ongoing COVID ‐19 pandemic: what dermatologists need to know in this regard

Kaposi's sarcoma in a patient with pemphigus vulgaris mimicking exacerbation of pemphigus

BACKGROUND

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a rare multifocal angiogenic tumor often seen in immunocompromised setting such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or organ transplantation recipients. Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a rare blistering disorder with mucocutaneous involvement for which immunosuppressive therapy has long been the core of treatment. Iatrogenic form of KS has been reported infrequently in pemphigus patients as a result of long-term immunosuppressive therapy.

CASE

We describe a 39-year-old male patient with confirmed diagnosis of PV who developed KS after receiving immunosuppressive agents for his pemphigus. KS was initially localized to the oral cavity with features mimicking exacerbation of his pemphigus.

CONCLUSION

This interesting case of KS suggests that dermatologists visiting patients with pemphigus with discomfort in the oral cavity should have a high degree of awareness and consider other differential diagnoses along with merely an exacerbation of PV.

COVID-19 vaccination in children as a global dilemma through an ethical lens: A retrospective review

Background and Aims

COVID-19 pandemic led to a need to rapidly vaccinate as many people as possible. Children are an important part of the population with different characteristics which vaccinating them is a matter of great importance as it should be decided considering all aspects and ethics. Here, we present different aspects of COVID vaccination in children including the potential challenges.

Methods

We searched on PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus in this regard, and all of the relevant papers published until June 28, 2021 were included if we could access their full-texts.

Results

We found various expert opinions in this regard and tried to summarized them. Saving lives has similar ethical value as preventing evitable adverse event. Accordingly, mandating the children to receive the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, needs risk-benefit weighing with special consideration of ethical challenges.

Conclusion

Considering the vast range of benefits resulted from pediatric vaccination both for the children and the community, implementing the program in a scientific manner and also with the least financial expenses for the families seems to be reasonable and makes it both ethical and moral.

Exploring SARS-CoV2 host-pathogen interactions and associated fungal infections cross-talk: Screening of targets and understanding pathogenesis

The COVID-19 associated opportunistic fungal infections have posed major challenges in recent times. Global scientific efforts have identified several SARS-CoV2 host-pathogen interactions in a very short time span. However, information about the molecular basis of COVID-19 associated opportunistic fungal infections is not readily available. Previous studies have identified a number of host targets involved in these opportunistic fungal infections showing association with COVID-19 patients. We screened host targets involved in COVID-19-associated opportunistic fungal infections, in addition to host-pathogen interaction data of SARS-CoV2 from well-known and widely used biological databases. Venn diagram was prepared to screen common host targets involved in studied COVID-19-associated fungal infections. Moreover, an interaction network of studied disease targets was prepared with STRING to identify important targets on the basis of network biological parameters. The host-pathogen interaction (HPI) map of SARS-CoV2 was also prepared and screened to identify interactions of the virus with targets involved in studied fungal infections. Pathway enrichment analysis of host targets involved in studied opportunistic fungal infections and the subset of those involved in SARS-CoV2 HPI were performed separately. This data-based analysis screened six common targets involved in all studied fungal infections, among which CARD9 and CYP51A1 were involved in host-pathogen interactions with SARS-CoV2. Moreover, several signaling pathways such as integrin signaling were screened, which were associated with disease targets involved in SARS-CoV2 HPI. The results of this study indicate several host targets deserving detailed investigation to develop strategies for the management of SARS-CoV2-associated fungal infections.

New-onset pemphigus foliaceus following SARS-CoV-2 infection and unmasking multiple sclerosis: A case report

Development of pemphigus foliaceus (PF) following SARS‐CoV‐2 infection has only been reported in one patient who had received Bamlanivimab and thus might be considered as a drug‐induced case of PF. Here, we reported the first case of PF arising solely after COVID infection without taking any culprit drug.

COVID‐19 has led to many dermatologic conditions. Here, we reported the first case of pemphigus foliaceus arising solely after SARS‐Cov‐2 infection without taking any culprit drug.

The role of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its vaccines in various types of hair loss

The prevalence of hair loss has increased during COVID-19. In this study, we review the current literature on incidence and characteristics of various types of COVID-19-related and COVID-19-vaccine- related hair loss including telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, friction alopecia and anagen effluvium. Regarding most of them, the more severe the infection, the more profound and prolonged the course of alopecia. However, the most important issue is reassuring the patients of the non-serious nature of this complication, since psychological support is the most important factor in the earlier resolution of the condition.

Morphea in two patients after being infected to and being vaccinated against SARS‐CoV‐2 infection

Although the presence of morphea following COVID‐19 has been rarely reported, the development of its generalized form following COVID‐19 vaccination has not been reported yet. Here, we reported the first case of generalized morphea following COVID‐19 vaccination and another similar case following SARS‐Cov‐2 infection. Other etiologic factors were also dealt with.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and practical points in psoriasis patients: a narrative review

SARS‐CoV2 vaccines were approved without long‐term monitoring due to emergent situations. This has raised some issues about timing and protocol of receiving vaccines in specific situations including patients with chronic inflammatory disorders such as psoriasis. Here, we present different aspects of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and vaccination in psoriasis patients and aim to provide solutions to overcome the potential challenges. In brief, the benefits of vaccination outweigh the potential risk; vaccine‐triggered de novo or flares of psoriasis is uncommon. As such, all psoriasis patients, especially those receiving systemic treatments including anti tumor necrosis factor agents, are strongly recommended to get SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccines. It is recommended that new immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory therapies be initiated at least 1 week after the second SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccine dose, if possible. In addition, in severe and active forms of psoriasis, it is better to delay vaccination until stabilization of the disease.