Nanobacteria and calcinosis cutis.
BACKGROUND
The nanobacteria are a recently characterized group of extremely small bacteria capable of precipitating calcium salts implicated in the pathogenesis of urinary calculi and calcific atherosclerosis. The pathogenesis of calcinosis cutis and its significance in conjunction with a variety of unrelated scarring and pre-existing cutaneous entities are incompletely understood.


METHODS
A series of cases, including basal cell carcinoma with dystrophic calcification, subepidermal calcified nodule, pilomatricoma, and tumoral calcinosis, were ultrastructurally examined for the presence of Nanobacteria sp.


RESULTS
All cases, including three basal cell carcinomas, two subepidermal calcified nodules, three cases of pilomatricoma, and two cases of tumoral calcinosis, were negative for Nanobacteria.


CONCLUSIONS
The dystrophic calcification that occurs in conjunction with the above entities does not likely involve a bacterial-induced etiology. The cause of these entities remains unknown.
Morgan
Michael B
MB
Department of Pathology, James Haley Veteran's Hospital, and University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA. mbkmmorgan@aol.com
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018296:Pilomatrixoma / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology