Effects of Antimicrobials on the Altered Skin Flora in Patients With Palmar Arsenical Keratosis

According to a working group of World Health Organization, arsenicosis is a chronic health condition arising from prolonged ingestion (not less than six months) of arsenic above a safe level, usually manifested by characteristic and most diagnostic skin lesions, like- melanosis, leucomelanosis and keratosis, with or without involvement of internal organs. Arsenical keratosis usually appears on palm of the hand and plantar aspect of the feet and may also develop on the dorsum of the extremities and trunk. It had been found in certain studies that there is an alteration of normal skin flora in patients with arsenical keratosis. The relationship between such altered skin flora and development of keratosis in arsenicosis is not established or explored. Treatment of all types of keratosis is difficult. The most common therapeutic option leads to short-term improvement and is frequently associated with various adverse effects. Treatment tends to be symptomatic and includes topical keratolytic, orally administered antioxidant vitamins and minerals, or reconstructive surgery with total excision of the keratotic skin followed by grafting. There is no such study where effects of antimicrobials have been evaluated as the treatment of arsenical keratosis. So the present study is designed to see the effects of antimicrobials on the altered skin flora (Enterobacter and Aspergillus) in patients with palmar arsenical keratosis. The present study will be a clinical trial. The study will take place at the Department of Pharmacology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and at Laksham Upazilla of Comilla District from September 2017 to February 2019. After including participants as per selection criteria, written informed consent will be taken from all of them. Then water, nail, skin swab and scrapping samples will be collected and analyzed in the laboratory. After doing culture sensitivity, antimicrobials will be given to the patients. The duration of treatment will be decided upon sensitive drugs. Keratotic nodular size will be measured of each patient to draw a conclusion about the effect of antimicrobials in patients with palmar arsenical keratosis. As it had been found in previous studies conducted at the Department of Pharmacology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University that both skin bacterial and fungal flora were altered in patients with arsenical keratosis, this study will be done to establish the relationship between such alteration and arsenical keratosis by exploring the effects of antimicrobials as a treatment of keratosis.