Intracytoplasmic crystalline inclusions in dermal infiltrating cells of granulomatous contact dermatitis due to gold earrings

A case of granulomatous contact dermatitis due to gold earrings for pierced ears was studied ultrastructurally. The patient was a 24-year-old woman, who had reddish brown papules on the earlobes. Patch test using gold sodium thiomalate proved strong positive, with blister formation. Histological obs...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inActa dermato-venereologica Vol. 68; no. 3; pp. 261 - 264
Main Authors AOSHIMA, T, OGUCHI, M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Uppsala Acta dermato-venereologica 1988
Subjects
Adult
Allergic diseases
Biological and medical sciences
Biopsy
Dermatitis, Contact - etiology
Dermatitis, Contact - pathology
Ear, External - pathology
Female
Gold - adverse effects
Histiocytes - pathology
Humans
Immunopathology
Inclusion Bodies - pathology
Lymphocytes - pathology
Medical sciences
Patch Tests
Skin allergic diseases. Stinging insect allergies
Human
Allergy
Pathology
Granuloma
Immunopathology
Gold
Skin disease
Contact dermatitis
Cell inclusion
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Summary:A case of granulomatous contact dermatitis due to gold earrings for pierced ears was studied ultrastructurally. The patient was a 24-year-old woman, who had reddish brown papules on the earlobes. Patch test using gold sodium thiomalate proved strong positive, with blister formation. Histological observation of the papule showed dense cell infiltration throughout the full thickness of the dermis. Ultrastructurally, dermal infiltrating cells consisted of lymphocytes and histiocytes. Unusual crystalline inclusion bodies were observed in the cytoplasm of these cells. These structures were elliptical, not encapsulated and showed a regular fingerprint-like pattern of parallel lines along the short axis. The width of the lines and their intervals was 12 nm. These findings suggest that continuous contact between gold and dermis may induce inflammation, causing granulomatous changes and the development of crystalline inclusion bodies.
ISSN:0001-5555
1651-2057