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A number of social and cultural practices are prevalent in the Middle-East celebrating various occasions or to treat health conditions. These often result in dermatoses that are unfamiliar and confusing to dermatologists outside this region. This paper reviews skin manifestations emanating from traditional and ritual practices in Arab countries, particularly those from Saudi Arabia.

Background: With increasing industrialization, the construction industry provides employment to a large number of skilled and nonskilled workers, many of them migrant workers. Aim: This study was undertaken to provide epidemiological data regarding various dermatoses among migrant construction workers in India as currently there is a paucity of the same. Methods: One thousand construction workers, including 467 migrant laborers, were examined for various dermatoses. Results: Most (88%) workers were males and 51.17% were in their third decade. Infective and noninfective dermatoses were seen in 89.72% and 53.74% of laborers respectively. Among infective dermatoses, fungal infections were the most common (46.25%) ones, followed by bacterial infections (24.83%), scabies (8.56%) and viral infections (6.42%). Contact dermatitis to cement was seen in 12.48% of the laborers. Masons had a significantly higher incidence of contact dermatitis to cement, viral infections and scabies than helpers. Conclusions: The pattern of dermatoses is an expression of poverty, overcrowding and the occupational hazards of the construction industry.

Two hundred diabetics comprising of 125 males and 75 females were, studied for the presence of cutaneous lesions and type of infective organism, if any, in them. 70.2% of patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus showed some form of cutaneour involvement while only 51 % of the patients with controlled diabetes had it. Infections with bacterial (16%) and fungal (10.5%) agents were the most common manifestation. Among bacterial infections, Staph. aureus was the most frequent causative agent in 65.6% cases. Pruritus was present in 4.5% of cases only.

Filaggrin is very important in the terminal differentiation of the skin and the formation of cornified envelope in the stratum corneum. Several mutations in the filaggrin gene have been identified in the last decade, mostly from the European countries. Loss of function mutations in the filaggrin gene results in reduced production of filaggrin, depending on the type and site of mutation. Such mutations in the filaggrin gene have been shown to be the most significant genetic risk factor for development of atopic dermatitis and undoubtedly has a role in the pathogenesis of ichthyosis vulgaris. Though there is theoretical possibility of association with hand eczema and allergic contact dermatitis; in clinical studies, the strength of these associations was not significantly strong. In this review, we have discussed the structure and function of filaggrin, basic genetics, type of mutations in filaggrin gene, and association of such mutations with different dermatoses.

The present paper studies the pattern of dermatoses among 225 inmates of a jail, over a period of 6 months (Feb- July′ 99). 63.6% inmates screened had dermatoses. Among those with dermatoses 63.3% were infectious and 36.4% were non-infectious. Among the infections, fungal infections (51.3%) constituted the maximum. Pediculosis copitis was found in 6.6% of inmates. in the non-infectious group, pigmentary changes (21%) and dandruff (21%) were noted. Overcrowding prevalent in jail (73% excess inmates) could be contributory factor for the high incidence of infections.

A house to house study was done on 666 children aged 0-14 years in 5 villages of Wardha district in Maharastra (Central India). 346 children (51.95%) had one or more dermatoses. Infective dermatoses contributed 63.5% of all dermatoses, while noninfectious and nutritional deficiency dermatoses were responsibile for 21.2% and 15.2%, respectively. Pediculosis capitis was seen in 136 children (20.4%), followed by pyoderma in 107 (16.07%) and dematophytosis in 44 (6.61%). Scabies was found in only 6 and 4 cases of leprosy were also delected. Pityriasis alba, pityriasis capitis amond non-infectious; hair and skin changes among nutritional deficiency dermatoses were leading presentations.

After going through 1000 case files of patients registered in the skin department of K.M.C. Hospital, it was found that 166 (16.6%) of them had dermatoses restricted to their hands. Based on the clinical findings and clinical diagnosis recorded, the various dermatoses were tabulated and evaluated. Ninety-two males and 74 females had dermatoses of hands. Warts and eczemas formed the major chunk of cases. Females out numbered males among patients with warts and eczemas.

In a school survey of 1161 children from 2 different schools studying in 1st to 5th standard between the age of 6 and 12 years, 890 (76.65%) students were found to have disorders of skin and its appendage. Most of the dermatoses were asymptomatic and were diagnosed in the routine examination. Nevoid conditions were seen in 255 (21.96%) students. Communicable dermatoses were noted in 221 (19%) students and nutritional deficiencies were seen in 78 (6.71%) students. Rest of the students had miscellaneous condition. Health education and good personal hygiene will definitely help to improve the health status of the school children.

Screening for skin and sexually transmitted diseases was undertaken in 170 pregnant women in all the trimesters of pregnancy. Pruritus was the commonest presenting symptom (58.82%). Candidiasis (21.78%) was the commonest cause of white discharge per vagina, Condylomata acwninata (4.70%) was the commonest sexually transmitted disease. Three patients (1.76%) were seropositive for HIV infection. The commonest dermatological disorder observed was scabies (17.64%) while 48 other diseases accounted for less than 10% each.

Screening for cutaneous disorders was undertaken in 1,175 pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic. Skin disease or STD being encountered in 114 (9.7%). Pruritus was present in 7.1 percent and was mostly due to candidiadis. The physiological skin changes were frequently observed. Candidiasis was by far the commonest infection with a 2.9 percent incidence. Syphilis was the commonest STD followed by Donovanosis and condyloma acuminata. Specific pregnancy dermatoses were seen in 1.5 percent and included prurigo gestationis, pruritic urticarial papules and plaques (PUPPP) and pruritus gravidarum.

This study records the preliminary observation on neonatal dermatoses in relation to sex, birth weight and gestational age in 500 newborns delivered between August 1986 and September 1987 at JIPMER Hospital, Pondichery, Physiological dermatoses seen in 100% of the newborns, in the order of frequency were : linea nigra, Epstein′s pearls, physiological scaling, milia and erythema toxicum. Salmon patches were the commonest vascular birthmarks (34.6%) Twenty-three per cent had transient neonatal angioma, an entity not described earlier. Infectious dermatoses observed were pyoderma (3%), staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome, congenital syphilis, congenital candidiasis and a case of tinea corporis, probably the youngest described in literature. The commonest congenital malformation of the skin was absence of the outer fold of the helix (3.5%). An unusual case of aplasia cutis involving the scalp and both flanks associated with bilateral corneal opacities was observed.

A total of 200 patients aged 55 years and above were studied for cutaneous changes associated with ageing. The majority of patients (66%) were found to be in the age group of 55 to 64 years, of these 63% were males and 37% females. Pruritus was the commonest complaint in 78.5%. A variety of cutaneous lesions were observed. The commonest were cherry angiomas, seborrhoeic keratosis and naevus cell naevi. Not a single case of cutaneous malignancy was seen. Only 34.5% of the total dermatoses were found to be of infective aetiology. Diabetes was the most commonly associated systemic ailment. A psychosomatic background was observed in nearly 9.5% of the cases