title: Rare clinical form in two patients affected by a new variant of endemic pemphigus in northern Colombia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, the authors described a new variant of endemic pemphigus foliaceus in rural areas surrounding El Bagre, Colombia, but without association with malignant tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors' 10-year fieldwork provided the opportunity to observe various manifestations of El Bagre endemic pemphigus foliaceus, including the presence of bilateral plaques in pretibial areas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on personal experience and literature reviews, the authors have correlated the auto-antibody profile with the appearance of pretibial plaques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since pretibial plaques occur in patients with both fogo selvagem and El Bagre variants of endemic pemphigus foliaceus, as well as in other forms of pemphigoid, these diseases must be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with clinical, immunologic, and/or epidemiologic risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA. aavelez@mail.mcg.edu.
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abrèu Velez
authors.forename: Isabel Cristina
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Segovia
authors.forename: Maria Mercedes
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Yepes
authors.forename: Wendy B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Bollag
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index