acyclovir and Sarcoidosis

Vasculitis associated with sarcoid granulomas is an uncommon phenomenon. A 72-year-old female presented with an expanding region of circumscribed alopecia and scalp atrophy of 2 months duration. Biopsy showed non-caseating granulomas, dermal thinning, loss of follicles, fibrosis and muscular vessels disrupted by mixed lymphocyte, macrophage and giant-cell infiltrates. Affected vessels had loss and fragmentation of the elastic lamina, fibrous replacement of their walls and luminal stenosis (endarteritis obliterans). Dermal and vascular advential intralymphatic granulomas and lymphangiectases were found by D2-40 expression, suggesting lymphatic obstruction and poor antigen clearance. No evidence of a post-zoster eruption, systemic sarcoidosis or systemic giant-cell arteritis was found. Two years later, prednisone had halted - but not reversed - progression of her alopecia. Review of the literature showed two types of vasculitis associated with sarcoid granulomas: (i) acute, self-limited leukocytoclastic vasculitis and (ii) chronic granulomatous vasculitis (GV). Persistence of non-degradable material or antigen contributes to the pathogenesis of granulomatous inflammation. In this case, lymphatic obstruction probably impeded clearance of nonimmunologic and/or immunologic stimuli permitting and sustaining the development of sarcoid granulomas and sarcoid GV, ultimately causing scarring alopecia and cutaneous atrophy.

Topics: Acyclovir; Adult; Aged; Alopecia Areata; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; Antiviral Agents; Biopsy; Cytokines; Female; Glucocorticoids; Granuloma; Humans; Lymphocytes; Male; Middle Aged; Prednisone; Sarcoidosis; Scalp; Skin Diseases; Valacyclovir; Valine; Vasculitis; Vasculitis, Central Nervous System

Topics: Acyclovir; Animals; Antiviral Agents; Bovine papillomavirus 1; Horse Diseases; Papillomavirus Infections; Sarcoidosis; Skin Diseases, Viral

Based on the anecdotally reported eradication of a sarcoid using aciclovir cream, the curative potential of this ointment was investigated in 22 sarcoid-affected horses referred to the Equine Clinic Tillysburg, Austria, between 2006 and 2009. Sarcoid disease was diagnosed by clinical examination and bovine papillomavirus types 1 and 2 from intact skin and tumour tissue. As nine horses had more than one lesion, a total of 47 sarcoids were treated by daily topical application of aciclovir 5 per cent cream for a period of two to six months; in four horses, surgical tumour ablation was performed before treatment. Disease parameters, including the tumour type, number, location and size, were recorded before and after aciclovir therapy. All 47 (100 per cent) of the sarcoids responded to treatment, with complete tumour regression observed for 32 (68 per cent) lesions and no recurrences reported thus far. Incomplete resolution was observed for 15 (32 per cent) lesions, probably due to their thickness. Aciclovir is proposed to be routinely used for the treatment of mild-type sarcoids and as an adjuvant therapeutic agent in combination with surgery.

Topics: Acyclovir; Administration, Topical; Animals; Antiviral Agents; Bovine papillomavirus 1; Horse Diseases; Horses; Papillomavirus Infections; Sarcoidosis; Skin Diseases, Viral; Treatment Outcome