Pemphigus Vulgari Facts and Treatment

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune skin disorder characterized by blistering of the skin and mucous membrane. Pemphigus is an autoimmune disorder that causes blistering and raw sores on skin and mucous membranes. As with other autoimmune disorders, it is caused when the body's defenses mistake its own tissues as foreign, and attack the cells. It is the most common subtype of pemphigus, accounting for 70% of all pemphigus cases worldwide. PV is rare - between one and five people in a million develop PV each year in the UK. Most cases develop in people aged over 50. It is very rare in children. Men and women are equally affected. It is more common in certain racial groups.

Pemphigus has several types. Each type looks and acts differently. There are other autoimmune blistering diseases of the skin, such as bullous pemphigoid, bullous lupus, and Hailey-Hailey disease that can be confused with pemphigus.

Causes

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune disorder which generally causes blistering. This disease is not contagious that is not transferable by touch. The disease may be a result of reactions to medications but this rarely occurs.

Symptoms

* Skin lesions which may be:
o Recurrent or relapsing
o Blistering, loose
o Mouth or skin ulcers
o Draining, oozing, crusting

Diagnosis

Diagnosis relies on microscopic examination of skin lesion samples. A biopsy of a suspected lesion is taken: a sample of the blistered skin is removed and examined under the microscope to determine if the cells are separated in the manner characteristic of pemphigus. Unlike in the related pemphigoid, pemphigus manifests as intra-epithelial clefting, meaning the spinous cells of the epithelium break apart, a phenomenon known as acantholysis.

Pemphigus Vulgari Treatment

Treatment should always be prescribed on the basis of how severe the disease is. There are no reports showing that alternative, homeopathic or herbal treatments help. These usually hurt because the medications that work are stopped until the patient realizes they made a mistake.

Topical steroids
A steroid cream is sometimes used on the skin blisters in addition to other treatments. This may keep the dose of steroid tablets lower than would otherwise be needed. Steroid mouthwashes or sprays are sometimes used to help treat mouth blisters and erosions.

Antiseptic creams
May be advised if there are large areas of raw skin. This is to reduce the chance of infection.

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