ECZEMA HERPETICUM

Course overview

ECZEMA HERPETICUM (EH) IS A DISSEMINATED CUTANEOUS INFECTION WITH HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS THAT DEVELOPS IN A PATIENT WITH ATOPIC DERMATITIS. EH TYPICALLY PRESENTS AS A SUDDEN ONSET ERUPTION OF MONOMORPHIC VESICLES AND "PUNCHED-OUT" EROSIONS WITH HEMORRHAGIC CRUSTS OVER ECZEMATOUS AREAS. PATIENTS MAY HAVE SYSTEMIC SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS FEVER, LYMPHADENOPATHY, OR MALAISE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF ECZEMA HERPETICUM AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.