Comments on the Article “Reintroducing the Tzanck Smear”

Excerpt

I read with great interest the article by Kelly and Shimoni[1] addressing the importance of the Tzanck smear in the diagnosis of herpes virus infections, pustular diseases of the newborn, cutaneous infections, vesiculobullous diseases, and non-melanoma skin cancers. I would like to mention certain additions to this review regarding the role of methylene blue in the diagnosis of acantholytic cells in oral pemphigus vulgaris. I have already published a letter in the June 2008 issue of the Journal of College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan stating the importance of the Candida smear as an adjunct for diagnosis of acantholytic cells in oral pemphigus vulgaris.[2] The method of using methylene blue to detect acantholytic cells in oral pemphigus is elaborated here. …