This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Hong Dang Bui, MD; Albert H. Arteaga, MD; Nancy J. Wilms, MD; Murray Feingold, MD

Am J Dis Child. 1985;139(7):689-690.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

Denouement and Discussion

Eczema Herpeticum (Kaposi's Varicelliform Eruption)

Manifestations

Eczema herpeticum, or Kaposi's varicelliform eruption, occurs in individuals with atopic dermatitis who acquire a herpes simplex virus infection. Herpes simplex virus type 1 is the common cause of the infection, but herpes simplex virus type 2 has also been implicated.

Typically, the lesions appear as grouped vesicles with or without erythema, are painful, itch, progress to umbilication and then rupture, form a crust, and heal. These lesions last from ten days to two weeks, but widespread infection with high fever, malaise, and cutaneous dissemination may take place. This can lead to death and can be secondary to viremia and visceral involvement of the lungs, brain, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and adrenal glands. Mortality ranges from 10% to 50% due to viral dissemination and/or secondary bacterial infection.

Diagnosis

Rapid diagnosis can be made by detection of herpes simplex virus . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
Contributed from the Departments of Pediatrics (Drs Bui and Arteaga) and Medicine (Dr Wilms), Loma Linda (Calif) University School of Medicine.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to The National Birth Defects Center, Kennedy Memorial Hospital, 30 Warren St, Brighton, MA 02135 (Dr Feingold).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?