Extensive eczema herpeticum in a previously well child
Abstract Background Eczema herpeticum, also known as Kaposi varicelliform eruption, is a potentially life-threatening disseminated cutaneous viral infection. In the majority of cases, this condition develops as a complication in patients with atopic dermatitis. However, it may arise in a wide spectr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-05-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-022-00425-5 |
| _version_ | 1818548655808839680 |
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| author | Manal Almoalem Ibrahim AlAlharith Hussa Alomer Azzam Almarri Awadh Alyami Rakan Hamzah Othub Albalawi Salwa Alnoaimi |
| author_facet | Manal Almoalem Ibrahim AlAlharith Hussa Alomer Azzam Almarri Awadh Alyami Rakan Hamzah Othub Albalawi Salwa Alnoaimi |
| author_sort | Manal Almoalem |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Eczema herpeticum, also known as Kaposi varicelliform eruption, is a potentially life-threatening disseminated cutaneous viral infection. In the majority of cases, this condition develops as a complication in patients with atopic dermatitis. However, it may arise in a wide spectrum of pre-existing skin conditions, including psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, cutaneous T cell lymphoma, pemphigus vulgaris, and others. Case presentation We present the case of a 2-year-old boy who was brought to the emergency department because of a high-grade fever and rash. The fever started 2 days before his presentation, and its maximum measurement was 39.6°C. The following day, the patient developed numerous painful, pruritic vesiculopustular eruptions, and oozing involving the lips, rendering the patient unable to tolerate oral feeding. The patient was seen by the dermatology team who diagnosed the child as having eczema herpeticum. The patient was commenced on antiviral and empirical antibiotic therapy in the form of intravenous acyclovir and cephalexin along with topical fusidic acid and panthenol. The patient showed clinical improvement with resolution of the fever and partial involution of the rash 2 days following the administration of the antimicrobial therapy. Conclusion Eczema herpeticum is a rare clinical entity that can result in significant morbidity. The case highlights the importance of considering the diagnosis of eczema herpeticum in the appropriate clinical settings, even in patients who were not known to have any prior skin disorder. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:23:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6f04729409cd4083af2fd52ad83fee37 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1865-1372 1865-1380 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T08:23:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-6f04729409cd4083af2fd52ad83fee372022-12-22T00:31:20ZengBMCInternational Journal of Emergency Medicine1865-13721865-13802022-05-011511310.1186/s12245-022-00425-5Extensive eczema herpeticum in a previously well childManal Almoalem0Ibrahim AlAlharith1Hussa Alomer2Azzam Almarri3Awadh Alyami4Rakan Hamzah5Othub Albalawi6Salwa Alnoaimi7Department of Pediatrics, Salmaniya Medical ComplexDepartment of Pediatrics, Salmaniya Medical ComplexDepartment of Pediatrics, Salmaniya Medical ComplexCollege of Medicine & Medical Science, Arabian Gulf UniversityCollege of Medicine & Medical Science, Arabian Gulf UniversityCollege of Medicine & Medical Science, Arabian Gulf UniversityCollege of Medicine & Medical Science, Arabian Gulf UniversityDepartment of Pediatrics, Salmaniya Medical ComplexAbstract Background Eczema herpeticum, also known as Kaposi varicelliform eruption, is a potentially life-threatening disseminated cutaneous viral infection. In the majority of cases, this condition develops as a complication in patients with atopic dermatitis. However, it may arise in a wide spectrum of pre-existing skin conditions, including psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, cutaneous T cell lymphoma, pemphigus vulgaris, and others. Case presentation We present the case of a 2-year-old boy who was brought to the emergency department because of a high-grade fever and rash. The fever started 2 days before his presentation, and its maximum measurement was 39.6°C. The following day, the patient developed numerous painful, pruritic vesiculopustular eruptions, and oozing involving the lips, rendering the patient unable to tolerate oral feeding. The patient was seen by the dermatology team who diagnosed the child as having eczema herpeticum. The patient was commenced on antiviral and empirical antibiotic therapy in the form of intravenous acyclovir and cephalexin along with topical fusidic acid and panthenol. The patient showed clinical improvement with resolution of the fever and partial involution of the rash 2 days following the administration of the antimicrobial therapy. Conclusion Eczema herpeticum is a rare clinical entity that can result in significant morbidity. The case highlights the importance of considering the diagnosis of eczema herpeticum in the appropriate clinical settings, even in patients who were not known to have any prior skin disorder.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-022-00425-5AcyclovirEczema herpeticumHerpes simplex virusRashCase report |
| spellingShingle | Manal Almoalem Ibrahim AlAlharith Hussa Alomer Azzam Almarri Awadh Alyami Rakan Hamzah Othub Albalawi Salwa Alnoaimi Extensive eczema herpeticum in a previously well child International Journal of Emergency Medicine Acyclovir Eczema herpeticum Herpes simplex virus Rash Case report |
| title | Extensive eczema herpeticum in a previously well child |
| title_full | Extensive eczema herpeticum in a previously well child |
| title_fullStr | Extensive eczema herpeticum in a previously well child |
| title_full_unstemmed | Extensive eczema herpeticum in a previously well child |
| title_short | Extensive eczema herpeticum in a previously well child |
| title_sort | extensive eczema herpeticum in a previously well child |
| topic | Acyclovir Eczema herpeticum Herpes simplex virus Rash Case report |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-022-00425-5 |
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