Erythema multiforme in an eight-month-old-infant

Abstract

Erythema multiforme is a relatively frequent acute inflammatory disease. Among the factors involved in its pathogenesis are drugs, infectious agents and physical agents. The condition is associated to herpes simplex virus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. A case is reported of a male 8-month-old infant with skin lesions in the form of erythematous macules of varying size, well-defined borders, iris or target appearance and some infiltration, located on the limbs, trunk and face, after treatments with penicillins for community-acquired pneumonia. The clinical

picture was accompanied by edema in the face and upper and lower limbs. The patient required admission to the intensive care unit. Erythema multiforme major was diagnosed and treatment with steroids and antihistamines was started, obtaining a favorable evolution. The case is presented because this condition is not frequent in the early stages of life, and because although its evolution was satisfactory, it went through all the classic stages of the disease.