Study of Tzanck Smears Over a Period of Six Months
Year: 2015
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION \n: \nCytology of cutaneous lesions can be used for preliminary and \nrapid diagnosis of many skin diseases. Though the gold standard is a biopsy with or without \nimmunofluorescent studies, the use of simple Tzanck test gives reliable information in many \nvarieties \nof skin lesions. It is especially useful for cutaneous herpetic lesions and also for early \npresumptive diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris. \nAIMS \n: \nThe study was carried out to determine the \nusefulness of Tzanck \ntest in herpetic lesions, pemphigus vulgaris and other cutaneous lesions. \nMATERIALS AND METHODS \n: \nThe present study was a prospective one, carried out over a six \nmonth period in the department of pathology at Kamineni Academy of Medical Sciences and \nResear \nch Centre, Hyderabad, from June 2014 to December 2014. A total of twenty \n- \none Tzanck \nsmears were studied. The material was collected in the Dermatology out \n- \npatient department by \nthe dermatologist and sent to the laboratory. A Giemsa stain was used for all t \nhe smears and \nexamined under the microscope. \nRESULTS \n: \nThere were total 21 cases ranging in age from 3 \nyears to 62 years. There were 11 male and 10 female patients, the male to female ratio being \n1.1:1. There were 8 cases of herpes zoster and Tzanck smear w \nas reported positive in 5 cases \n(62.5%). For pemphigus vulgaris, out of 4 cases, 2 (50%) were reported positive on Tzanck \nsmear. As biopsy was not available for all the cases the histopathological correlation could not be \ndone. \nCONCLUSION \n: \nTzanck smear is \na rapid, simple, inexpensive and reliable test which is \nuseful for the diagnosis of cutaneous viral infections like herpes zoster, varicella and molluscum \ncontagiosum. It is also helpful for the presumptive diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris thereby \nfacilitat \ning early treatment of the patients
Authors: Shailaja Prabhala, Ashok Kumar Deshpande, Madhusudan Reddy, Ramamurti Tanikella
Language: English
Subfield: Dermatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W3034801294