Etiopathological study of Kustha on the basis of Aupsargika nidana and its clinical assessment by using Woods lamp.

Skin and subcutaneous diseases such as acne, alopecia, bacterial skin infections, fungal skin diseases,purities, psoriasis, scabies, urticaria, decubitus ulcers,viral skin diseases and other skin  disorders are common health problems worldwide and are the leading causes of the global disease burden. With a prevalence rate of 25%, skin conditions are currently the fourth most prevalent non-fatal disease around the globe.Skin diseases contributed 1.79% to the global burden of disease measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Skin and subcutaneous diseases can lead to profound long-term alterations even after the disease has resolved, affecting not only the physical health but also the mental health and quality of life of the patient, placing a high burden on patient’s families and national healthcare systems globally.Skin conditions are often the presenting face of more severe systemic illnesses, including HIV and neglected tropical diseases (NTD), such as elephantiasis and other lymphedema causing diseases.Ayurveda Classics describes the wide spectra of all skin disorders under Kushtha and further classified in two divisions i.e. Mahakustha and Ksudrakustha.Exploring etiological factors of Kushtha is still a challenge in modern era due to change in life style and dietary pattern. Wood’s lamp is an ultraviolet device that can be a diagnostic aid to determine the infectious skin diseases. Therefore, an attempt has been made in present study to explore the Aupsargikanidanas (contagious etiology) of kushtha as described in classics and assessment of the lesions with the help of Wood’s lamp.