Juvenile pemphigus foliaceus

Abstract

A 7-year-old girl with generalized erythematous, scaling plaques and vesiculobullous lesions on the extremities was diagnosed as having pemphigus foliaceus. Lesional direct immunofluorescence revealed intercellular IgG, IgA and C3 deposition. The patient's serum gave positive reactions against one epitope of desmoglein 3 and the epitope of desmoglein 1 in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, but the blood sample for indirect immunofluorescence did not display any circulating antibodies. The patient was successfully treated systemically with prednisolone and dapsone. Currently, she is taking dapsone, 12.5 mg daily. She has been free of lesions for the last 3 years.