Less common infectious exanthematous diseases I.

Overview

The differential diagnosis of childhood exanthems is often highly challenging. In everyday clinical practice, pediatricians encounter not only the classic viral infectious exanthems, but also allergic eruptions associated with drug and food intolerance, urticarial exanthems of both immunologic and non-immunologic origin, and parainfectious exanthematous eruptions accompanying a wide range of common viral infections. Certain types of exanthems are also characteristic of chronic dermatologic disorders (e.g., atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, lichen planus). In addition, exanthems may represent a clinical manifestation of systemic diseases, including autoimmune disorders.

In this first part, we review an exanthema that is frequently misdiagnosed. Familiarity with this condition enables the pediatrician to better estimate disease duration, provide more targeted therapy, and reassure concerned parents.

Keywords:

exanthematous diseases – APEC – asymmetrical periflexural exanthem of childhood