title: Trichodysplasia spinulosa--a newly described folliculocentric viral infection in an immunocompromised host.
abstract: This is a case report of an immunocompromised individual who presented with progressive alopecia, friable follicular spinous processes, and erythematous, indurated papules. Examination of skin biopsies using light microscopy and immunohistochemistry revealed pathologic changes of the follicular inner root sheath epithelium with dystrophic trichohyaline granules. Electron microscopy of thin sections of tissue revealed intracellular viral particles with a size and appearance consistent with those in the Papovaviridae family. Electron microscopy of negatively stained extract from a homogenized lesion also demonstrated icosahedral viruses with papovavirus morphology. We believe this is a previously unreported folliculocentric viral infection in an immunosuppressed human host and have termed this entity "trichodysplasia spinulosa".
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Dermatology), University of Washington, Seattle 98195-6524, USA.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Haycox
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fleckman
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piepkorn
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sundberg
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D008297:Male; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology