Childhood vesicular pemphigoid mimicking severe atopic dermatitis: a case report

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Autoimmune Disorders
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a rare autoimmune blistering disease primarily affecting the elderly.
• Childhood bullous pemphigoid is exceptionally rare, with limited reported cases.
• Vesicular pemphigoid represents an atypical clinical variant of bullous pemphigoid.

Observation:

• A 6-month-old infant presented with a blistering skin condition.
• The infant's presentation was initially misdiagnosed as severe atopic dermatitis (AD).
• The patient was ultimately diagnosed with the rare condition of childhood vesicular pemphigoid.

Findings:

• This report details a case of infant vesicular pemphigoid.
• The diagnosis was challenging due to initial misclassification as atopic dermatitis.
• This represents only the second reported case of childhood vesicular pemphigoid in medical literature.

Implications:

• Early recognition of vesicular pemphigoid is crucial for appropriate management in infants.
• Distinguishing vesicular pemphigoid from severe atopic dermatitis is critical for pediatric patients.
• Further research into pediatric autoimmune blistering diseases is warranted to improve diagnostic accuracy.