Rie Roselyne Yotsu

Mpox has troubled African nations for over 50 years and its resurgence serves as a reminder of the importance of comprehensive, sustainable and globally equitable public health strategies in healthcare access, human resources, vaccination and training of healthcare workers. Dermatologists, in collaboration with other specialists, are required in seamless, transdisciplinary efforts to strengthen surveillance and efforts at control and elimination of mpox. Because infectious diseases do not recognize borders, it is pertinent to continue to emphasize that the health of one region is increasingly linked to the health of the entire world.

Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue and Haemophilus ducreyi cause skin ulcers in impoverished communities. Historical serologic records from Ghana focus

Buruli ulcer is a slowly progressive necrotizing disease of the skin caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans, recognized by WHO as a neglected tropical disease. Around 2,000 cases are reported annually, but underdiagnosis and under-reporting probably obscure the true burden. A major advance in the understanding of Buruli ulcer pathogenesis was the discovery that mycolactone, a lipid-like exotoxin secreted by M. ulcerans, inhibits the Sec61 translocon, driving tissue destruction and immune suppression. M. ulcerans is an opportunistic environmental pathogen; however, its mechanisms of transmission remain unclear in most regions. PCR is the current gold standard for diagnosis, but its cost and technical demands limit use in resource-limited settings. Treatment is available with an oral regimen of rifampicin plus clarithromycin for 8 weeks, but further research is in progress to explore alternative drugs, optimized dosing and duration, and improved affordability. Adjunctive wound care, management of paradoxical reactions and rehabilitation, including physiotherapy and psychosocial support, are essential components of Buruli ulcer management. Future efforts should focus on elucidating transmission pathways to inform prevention, developing rapid diagnostics, refining and adapting drug regimens for diverse clinical presentations and patient groups, and advancing wound care. Strengthening healthcare worker training and integrating Buruli ulcer control with that of other skin diseases will enhance accessibility to early diagnosis and treatment, prevent disabilities and deformities, and reduce stigma, ultimately ensuring better quality of life for affected individuals worldwide.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) pose a significant health challenge, marked by high morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Effective evaluation of the DFU healing process is crucial to prevent delays and enhance patient outcomes. Traditional wound healing scales like PUSH and DESIGN have proven suboptimal for DFUs, necessitating a disease-specific approach. This communication introduces a qualitative study, which served as the first step in developing the DMIST scale, a tool to monitor and assess DFUs over time. Using a morpho-qualitative analysis method, we examined 50 DFUs in 42 patients from a hospital in Tokyo, classifying ulcers by primary pathogenic factors and healing periods. Our analysis identified 8 categories and 33 sub-categories of morphological characteristics. Key findings included identification of features such as the "red ring", "hyperkeratosis", and "rolled wound edges", each affecting healing times. The DMIST scale integrates these visual signs, offering a practical tool for DFU management, particularly valuable in low-resource settings. This scale has undergone validation and refinement through international collaboration, with the aim to improve DFU patient outcomes globally. We hope the DMIST scale to be widely adapted and that our experience in its development will aid future development of wound assessment tools from various causes.

INPLASY202540016 Descriptive analysis of epidemiologic and clinical trends in Leprosy in the US: A systematic review protocol Keywords: Leprosy, Hansen’s disease, HD, US, USA, United States, …

In order to identify cutaneous NTDs in Côte d'Ivoire, we conducted a cross-sectional, prospective, descriptive study over two years, from 13 January 2022 to 17 December 2023, in the health districts of Sinfra, Bouaflé, Abidjan 1 and Abidjan 2. The study included 804 patients. Men accounted for 50.6% of cases, with a sex ratio (M/F) of 1.2. The average age of patients was 20 years. Patients with no education accounted for 37.9% of cases. In terms of occupation, farmers accounted for 30% of cases. In terms of marital status, 52% of patients were single. Among the skin diseases identified, there were 147 cases of NTDs with cutaneous manifestations (18.3%) and 657 other dermatoses (81.7%). In terms of NTDs with skin manifestations, scabies accounted for 86.4% of all cases, 74 of which were reported in the Sinfra health district. Buruli ulcer accounted for 8.8%, with 11 cases identified in the Sinfra health district. For the other dermatoses, various skin conditions were recorded, with the most common types varying from one district to another. Overall, the prevalence of skin NTDs was high (18.3%) in these four health districts. Based on these results, the implementation of teledermatology is recommended to fill this gap.