Sandfly Fever, also called Phlebotomus fever, is common to Asia and the Mediterranean region but is very rare in the United States and I have not encountered it in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  It is caused by bites from the sandfly, Phlebotomus papatasii.  Most patients are asymptomatic but it causes 80% of all cases of […]

Dengue, also called break-bone fever, is an arborvirus spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which I normally do not encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  It is endemic to Southeast Asia but can be found in tropical regions around the world.  Within two weeks of being bitten by the Aedes mosquito, patients develop a very […]

West Nile Virus is a rare viral disease in the arbovirus group, which are arthropod (insect) borne RNA viruses that I almost never encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  West Nile Virus is a flavavirus which is usually found in East Africa, but was discovered in the U.S. in 1999 when […]

Papular Purpuric Gloves and Socks Syndrome (PPGSS) is a rash caused by Parvovirus or Hepatitis B virus, which I encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology clinics.  It is less common than Erythema Infectiosum (see blog entry Viruses – Erythema Infectiosum) and occurs in older children and adults.  The rash is exclusively found on […]

Erythema Infectiosum, also called Fifth Disease, is a very common viral infection in children caused by the Parvovirus group which I frequently encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Erythema Infectiosum most commonly occurs in late Winter and early Spring.  Erythema Infectiosum has three phases: 1. Slapped Cheeks- the cheeks are very erythematous […]

Asymmetric Periflexural Exanthem of Childhood (APEC) is a rare rash that I occasionally encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  The cause is unknown but it is believed to be due to a virus.  The basis for a viral etiology is that it occurs in young children in the Spring and Fall and clusters […]

Rubella, also called German measles, is an RNA virus in the Paramyxovirus group that can cause a rash that I may encounter in both my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Measles and Rubella are rare diseases due to vaccinations against theses viruses.  Rubella is spread through respiratory secretions and patients develop a prodrome of fever, malaise, sore […]

Measles is viral disease arising from the Paramyxovirus group of RNA viruses which I have never encountered in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices due to the U.S. immunization program but can occasionally be seen in patients from foreign countries.  Measles usually occurs in children under 15 months of age living in third […]

Eruptive Pseudoangiomatosis is a sudden eruption of angiomas due to EBV or Echovirus 25 or 32, which I encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Angiomas are small red papules that consist of a collection of blood vessels in the dermal layer of the skin.  In Eruptive Pseudoangiomatosis, these angiomas are only temporary […]

Boston Exanthem Disease occured in Boston as an epidemic and I have not enountered it in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology clinics.  It is caused by echovirus 16 and the rash begins as red macules and papules that can even become vesicular (blister like).  The face, chest and back are the predominant places […]

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is a viral disease that occurs in children under ten which I encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  HFMD is most commonly caused by coxsackievirus A-16.  Initially, patients present with a fever and sore throat, soon followed by vesicles (blisters) on the buccal mucosa, tongue, soft […]

Enteroviruses, also called Picornaviruses, are single stranded RNA viruses which produce rashes that I encounter frequently in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Cocksackievirus, enterovirus 70 and 71, and echovirus are the the main viruses in this group that have skin manifestations.  Enterovirus infections are transmitted by person to person contact such as the fecal-oral, oral-oral, and […]

Herpangina is a common childhood disease which I frequently encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology clinics.  Herpangina is caused by many different types of coxsackie viruses, echoviruses, and enterovirus 71.  Patients typically develop fever, headache and flu like symptoms in the beginning of the infection.  The characteristic skin finding are white vesicles […]

Cowpox is a member of the orthopoxvirus family and I have not encountered it in my The Woodlands and Conroe dermatology offices as it is only found in Great Britain, Russia and some parts of Europe.  However, with international travel it is very possible that Cowpox may appear in Texas.  Cowpox typically is an infection of cows […]

Farmyard Pox consists of Orf and Milker’s Nodules, two paramyxoviruses that have very similar clinical features, which I encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices. The clinical and histological findings in both Orf and Milker’s nodules are identical so they are differentiated based on a patient’s clinical history. Orf, also called Ecthyma […]

Monkeypox is a virus that I have never encountered in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Monkeypox is endemic to Central and West Africa and its natural host is the African tree squirrel and can infect monkeys, rabbits, mice, and rats.  Only rarely does Monkeypox infect humans as there was a case in 2003 […]

Vaccinia is a live attenuated version of the smallpox virus used in vaccines against smallpox, and I occasionally encounter sequelae from the Vaccinia vaccination in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology clinics.  The Vaccinia vaccination involves inoculation of the Vaccinia virus into the epidermis and upper dermis using the multiple puncture technique.  A papule […]

Smallpox, also called Variola Major, is a DNA virus in the orthopoxvirus family which I have never encountered in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology clinics.  It was eradicated as a disease in 1977 but has become of interest recently as a possible bioterrorism agent.  Smallpox is transmitted via the respiratory route and has […]

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a very common chronic viral infection that I encounter frequently in both my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices. HCV is a single stranded RNA virus that is usually transmitted through exposure to HCV contaminated blood such as in blood transfusions that have not been properly screened or through IV […]

Gionatti Crosti Syndrome, also called Acrodermatitis of Childhood, is a very common skin rash that I encounter frequently in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Gionatti Crosti is a rash that begins as small red papules on the face, buttocks, legs and arms.  Typically, the trunk is spared which is a hallmark of […]

B virus, also called Herpesvirus simiae, is a a rare disease that is not usually encountered in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  It is most commonly found in Asia and usually infects monkeys; however, humans can become infected with B virus through bites or scratches from monkeys harboring the virus.  After a patient […]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a common viral infection that has skin manifestations, which I encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  HBV is a double stranded DNA virus that is sexually transmitted and also spread through IV drug use as it is commonly found in the blood.  The initial infection with […]

Roseola, also called Exanthem Subitum and Sixth Disease, is a common skin rash that I encounter in both my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology clinics.  It is caused by the viruses human herpes virus (HHV) 6 and 7.  Children between 6 months and 3 years old are most often affected with Roseola and initially […]

Human Herpes Virus 8 (HHV 8) is a human gamma herpes virus with cutaneous manifestations that I occasionally encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology clinics.  HHV-8 is most commonly found in homosexual men as 20-30% are seropositive for this virus, whereas only 1% of the general population is infected with this virus.  HHV-8 can be transmitted through sexual contact and […]

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an extremely common viral infection and I occasionally encounter skin manifestations of this virus in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Although almost 80% of adults have been infected with CMV, only a few adults ever present with symptomatic CMV infection.  The clinical signs and symptoms in adults are identical […]

Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) is a member of the herpes virus family and produces a variety of rashes that I encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology clinics.  EBV infects B lymphocytes and mucosal cells and has can remain latent for a person’s entire life.  95% of all people are infected by their […]

Eczema Herpeticum, also called Kaposi Varicelliform Eruption, is a very common skin disorder I frequently encounter in my eczema patients in both my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  In patients with eczema flares, the cause of the flare may be superinfection with the herpes virus.  Eczema patients have an impaired skin barrier, so bacteria […]

Intrauterine and Neonatal Herpes is a skin condition that I rarely encounter in both my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology clinics.  Intrauterine herpes infection is very serious and can be fatal to the fetus in many cases.  Severe fetal anomalies can also occur such as scarring of the skin, limb defects, neurological damage, encephalitis, […]

Herpes Gladiatorum is herpes infection that occurs amongst wrestlers and other athletes in contact sports involving skin to skin contact, which I encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  HSV-1 (the type that causes orolabial herpes)  is the type of herpes virus, which most commonly causes Herpes Gladiatorum.  90% of all outbreaks […]

Herpetic Whitlow occurs when Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Type 1 or 2 infects the fingers, which I encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Most cases in children are caused by HSV-1 but the majority of adult cases are due to HSV-2 and is most common in women.  Dentists and dental hygienists are the most commonly affected […]

The chickenpox vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine that is one of the standard vaccines administered in childhood and is the main reason that I rarely encounter chickenpox in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Children under age 12 need a single dose and older children and adults require two vaccinations 1-2 months […]

Chickenpox in pregnancy has serious consequences for both the mother and fetus and fortunately I do not encounter it often in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  If a pregnant women becomes infected with VZV (varicella zoster virus) during the first 20 weeks of gestation, the fetus may have serious birth defects and […]

Zostavax is a live vaccine to prevent shingles indicated for patients 60 years of age and older.  I encounter patients with questions about Zostavax on a daily basis in both my The Woodlands and Conroe dermatology offices.  As shingles can be life threatening as well as have significant morbidity, I recommend Zostavax to patients if they have […]

Chickenpox is rarely seen due to vaccination in childhood so I do not encounter it often in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Chickenpox is the primary infection that occurs from Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), which is the same virus that reactivates later in life to cause shingles (see blog entry Viruses – Herpes Zoster (Shingles)).  […]

Opthalmic Zoster is a severe complication that can occur when shingles involves the V1 branch of the trigeminal nerve as the eye can be involved causing severe ocular complications.  Typically, I encounter Opthalmic Zoster about once a month in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.   When the V1 branch of the trigeminal nerve is involved, there is a […]

One of the most common complications of shingles is the development of Post Herpetic Neuralgia, which is a very common skin disorder that I encounter daily in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  As the varicella zoster virus lays dormant in the dorsal root ganglion and travels along the nerves to cause an outbreak in a […]

Herpes Zoster (Shingles) is one of the most common rashes I encounter in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Shingles is a reactivation of the Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), which causes chickenpox.  After infection with chickenpox or vaccination with the chickenpox vaccine, the virus remains dormant in the dorsal root ganglion of the […]

Orolabial Herpes (Cold Sores) is a very common dermatological condition, which I see routinely in both my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Orolabial herpes is most commonly caused by HSV-1, whereas genital herpes is usually due to HSV-2.  HSV-1 has a predilection for the trigeminal nerve ganglion, where it resides for a patient’s […]

The Herpes virus group is an extremely common family of viruses that is responsible for a myriad rashes, which I encounter on a daily basis in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  The types of viruses in this group are Herpes Simplex-1, Herpes Simplex-2, Varicella Zoster Virus, Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr Virus, Human Herpes Virus-6, Human […]

Genital herpes is a very common skin disease and I encounter it very frequently in my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Herpes Simplex Virus-2 (HSV-2) is the most common cause of genital herpes although some patients have genital herpes caused by HSV-1.  It is estimated that 1/4 of all adults in the United […]

Molluscum Contagiosum is one of the more common skin diseases I encounter in both my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  It is a poxvirus that is spread by direct skin to skin contact, especially wet skin.  Swimming pools are a common place where the infection is transmitted.  There are four types of Molluscum […]