Drug-induced pemphigus

Abstract

Pemphigus is an autoimmune bullous disease that may be influenced by genetic and exogenous factors. Drugs are a leading cause of pemphigus. There is a need for a thorough history taking so as to find the culprit medication. The diagnosis of drug-induced pemphigus is challenging. Patients have often been exposed to multiple drugs, and some drugs may have a prolonged latency period between exposure and onset of the disease. The in vitro interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) release from lymphocytes test has been shown to be of diagnostic value in drug-induced skin reactions. Cessation of the offending drug may alleviate the clinical manifestations and reduce the need for medical treatment.