History of Latin American Dermatology

Dermatology and dermatologists in Brazilgenodermatosis are undertaken, specifically benign familiar chronic pemphigus, the subjectof Prof. Pedro Bezerra da Trindade Neto’s PhD thesis. Studies related to the epidemiologyof melanoma in Rio Grande do Norte are also carried out, with cytology applied to the diagnosisof cutaneous diseases, the project of Prof. Thomas de Aquino Paulo Filho’s thesis.SergipeIn Sergipe, the University Hospital is the only one certified by the BSD, and has Prof.Pedro Menezes Portugal as Head of Service.AlagoasStemming from the pioneering activity of the young doctors Aldo de Sá Cardoso (a studentof Jorge Lobo in Recife, who graduated in 1938) and Aderbal Loureiro Jatobá, Dermatologycare began to be offered in private clinical practice in 1940.Years later, Jorge Duarte Quintela Cavalcanti also began to practice the specializedfield in Maceió. On March 5, 1951, medical education was set up in the State, and Dr.Aldo Cardoso was the physician chosen to be professor of the Dermatology and SyphilographyChair. Once the University was created, other dermatologists graduated, such asZirelli Valença — who described the Zirelli signal — and Nehemias de Alencar.With the creation of the Alagoas Medical Sciences School, on March 15, 1970, theDermatology Chair was set up by Prof. Aldo Cardoso, whose assistant, Dr. Alberto EduardoCox Cardoso, was later head of the Chair.BrasiliaIn 1980, the current Dermatology Service of Brasilia’s University Hospital (BUH) wasborn from the merger of the Dermatology Service of the Union Servers’ Hospital (USH),IPASE, which later passed to the INAMPS, and the Dermatology Service of the SchoolHospital of the Sobradinho Integrated Health Unit (SIHU), of the University of Brasilia.At the original services, the following names stand out: Drs. Iphis Campbell andGladys Campbell (initiators), Roberto Doglia Azambuja, Rosicler Álvares and CarméliaMatos Reis (USH) and Prof. Raimunda Nonata Ribeiro Sampaio (initiator), as well as RosiclerAíza Álvares (SIHU). At the BUH, we can mention Drs. Antônio de Pádua, Ana MariaCosta Pinheiro, Ribeiro de Paula and Gerson Pena — the latter a researcher in the researchnucleus of the BNU and President of the BSD’s sixtieth Congress of Dermatology(Brazilia 2005). At present, there are ten dermatologists from BUH.The outpatient office for research into American tegumentary leishmaniasis, whichoperated since 1975 at the SIHU-BNU, created by Prof. Raimunda (also head of service)under the encouragement of Prof. Philip Davis Marsden (in memoriam) was transferredto the BUH, maintaining the line of research. A short time later, Prof. Rosicler and Dr.Iphis created the Pemphigus Outpatient Clinic, while those of hanseniasis, cryosurgery,mycosis, psoriasis, skin aging, pediatric dermatology and cutaneous tumors were institutedand/or coordinated by Drs. Rosicler Álvares, Carmélia, Gladyz, Izelda and Ana. InFebruary 1999, at the initiative of Prof. Raimunda Nonata Ribeiro Sampaio, the Sexually-Transmitted Diseases Unit was created, with a multidisciplinary character and with theparticipation of the Gynecology, Proctology and Urology services. In total, 14,400 patientswith skin diseases are treated annually.The Dermatology course was officially created in 1971 by the BNU, but only as of1974 did it operate independently of the Medical Service. This course has a total of hourscorresponding to four credits. The medical residency, created according to Rio’s HSEmodel, began in 1974, having Dr. Izelda Costa as the first resident. At this service, 34 residentsand 19 interns have graduated up to the moment. The medical internship of thepresent-day BUH is also oriented towards research, and the presentation of a monographat the end of the course constitutes a requisite to obtain the certificate. All residents present91