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Dermatology Library

U

Ultraviolet Index:

The Ultraviolet (UV) Index provides important information to help you plan your outdoor activities and avoid over-exposure to the damaging rays of the sun. Developed by the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the UV Index is issued daily as a national service. The UV Index is a forecast, of the amount of ultraviolet expected to reach the Earth's surface when the sun is highest in the sky. The higher the index, the faster UV radiation causes damage to the skin and eyes. The index depends on the elevation of the sun in the sky, the cloud cover, and amount of ozone. The Index predicts UV levels on a 0-10+ scale and is usually published in daily newspapers with the weather, or is a part of television weather reports. Always take precautions against over-exposure, and take special care when the UV Index predicts exposure levels of moderate to above (5-10+).

Ultraviolet radiation:

The "sunburn" and "suntan" wavelengths of solar radiation. Ultraviolet radiation is the skin-damaging spectrum of sunlight.

Unidentified Skin Parasite Infection (USPI):

Unidentified Skin Parasitic Infection (USPI) is a serious skin condition that affects millions of men, women and children worldwide. It occurs when an unnamed organism or life form lives, feeds and breeds, under the skin of a human host. This infection was first recorded in medical books, in the early part of this century. However, because the parasite appears to have so many different metamorphic features, many of which may resemble human hair, fabric or lint (for example) turn of the century physicians wrongly assumed their patients must have been suffering from a psychosomatic illness rather than a disease. Even today, almost 100 years later, many in the medical community fail to recognize Unidentified Skin Parasitic Infection as a serious disease.

Urticaria or hives:

Description

  • Vascular reaction of the skin characterized by appearance of wheals surrounded by red halo, edematous, evanescent, erythematous plaques, associated with severe itching, stinging or pricking.
  • Central clearing may occur and lesions may coalesce.
  • lesions remain for less than 24 hours, exhibiting a transitory and migratory behavior.
  • etiology or cause can be determined in as many as 50% of new cases; greater than 80% of new-onset urticaria resolves in 2 weeks and greater than 95% of new-onset cases resolves by 3 months; urticaria persists for more than 6 weeks, it is considered chronic urticaria.

Cause - Acute urticaria is commonly caused by a variety of infections, medications, food allergies, physical stimulants, chemicals, chronic inflammatory diseases, and insect bites, as follows:

  • Recent infection from a viral syndrome or an upper respiratory illness (39%).
  • Medications (eg, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, sulfa-based drugs, penicillins, diuretics, opioids, polymyxin B).
  • Food and food additives (eg, nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, chocolate, strawberries, salicylate, benzoates).
  • Parasitic infections.
  • Physical stimulants (eg, cold, heat, vibration, pressure, aquagenic).
  • Chemicals (eg, latex, ammonium persulfate in hair chemicals), Intravenous radiocontrast media.
  • Insect bites.
  • Latex allergies also may cross react with bananas, chestnuts, passion fruit, kiwi, avocado.

Diagnosis - Can be made by history and visualization of lesions; sometimes may require a biopsy of the skin.

Treatment - Identify cause, antihistamines, steroids if necessary and follow up with allergist if necessary.

Submitted by: Heather R. Brock, MSN, ARNP, NP-C