Plague Psoriasis:
The Common Misspelling of
Plaque Psoriasis

Throughout this article, you may see plague psoriasis, a common misspelling of the term plaque psoriasis, with which people frequently search the Internet looking for information. Psoriasis plaques are evidence of psoriasis, the disease that attacks the living cells in the human body whereby the cells multiply rapidly in an unusual manner.

Unlike many other skin problems, this particular disease is not contagious, however, researchers do not fully understand the genetic connection.

Symptoms

The sore has actually specified limits, pink to salmon colouring as well as covered by the freely adherent silver white ranges. Some sores remain in direct, spiral or ring-shaped setups. It could be local to certain components of the body system, such as feet and also hands, or generalised to the entire body system.

Common signs and symptoms of plaque psoriasis are white or red spots on the skin of your body system. The influenced skin is added and even silvery-white skin begins gathering in the location, which has actually been impacted. Irritated skin reveals spots which are oblong or either round fit.

Plaque - Plague psoriasis is mostly found on:

• Elbows
• Knees
• Scalp
• Soles
• Palms
• Genitals
• Outer portion of joints
• At times you can see its effect on toenails or fingernails.

When the scales are scrapped off, Auspitz sign or pinpoint bleeding is seen frequently.

Causes

Psoriasis plaques happen when the immune system does not function properly and white blood cells act as if the body is infected. These cells cause the skin to become inflamed and pile up due to increased rate of cell multiplication.

The sensitized T-cells of the immune system penetrate the skin and accumulate in the epidermis. It then triggers the secretion of cytokines and growth factor that eventually induce the proliferation of keratin cell, and cause the outer skin to rise up and have patches.

The disease is hereditary in nature and if anyone from the family has suffered from it, the following generations are in danger of inheriting the same.

Patients with family history of psoriasis have a high tendency for outbreaks if they also carry the HLA B13 and B17 gene. Families with history of psoriasis plaque have to be careful about many things, namely stress, HIV infection, skin injury and smoking which increase the risk of outbreaks of this disease.

Other factors that increase the risk of causing psoriasis to become symptomatic are:

• Trauma
• Koebner phenomenon
• Drugs; beta-blocker
• Tetracycline
• Stress
• Endocrine factor
• Infections, such as AIDS

Susceptibility

Plague Psoriasis is the common type of chronic inflammatory dermatoses and it has high prevalence in Western Europe population. About half million to three quarter million cases are found in Malaysia and the chances for both female and male to get affected is equal. Patients who are in the 30's or 40's who have a family history of this disease have a high incidence of the disease.

Treatment

The goal in the treatment is to control the symptom and control possible infection. Any approach of the treatment must be for a long term basis. Three basic treatments available for overall management of plague psoriasis are:

• Topical Treatment - Apply medication directly to skin or scalp to reduce scaling and thickness of the plaque. This treatment removes scales and has anti-inflammatory effect due to the existence of corticosteroid, calcipotriene, coal tar, moisturizer, bath solution and salicylic acid. Topical treatments also provides systemic or body wide treatment.
• Medication – Medications like methotrexate, cyclosporine, retinoids and antibiotic are available to suppress the faulty response of the immune system, resulting in plague psoriasis.
• Phototherapy treatment - Skin is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light in order to inhibit cell hyper proliferation and increase apoptosis of activated T-cells.
• Patients can also do home care treatment by taking prescribed antibiotic and do anti-stress exercise.

Bear in mind that topical steroids are to be taken only in little doses as too much of it can turn psoriasis plaque into pustular psoriasis.

The features of may resemble the symptoms of other chronic skin disease. So in order to exclude the other disease, doctor should take a thorough medical history and perform medical examination at the affected skin and scalp. Only rarely, will doctors perform an invasive intervention such as skin biopsy, in order to diagnose the disease.

Homepage

Sitemap

Sitemap in alphabetic order

Plague Psoriasis - more information on types of psoriasis

Back to top

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

---

---

---