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Penile erosions associated with foscarnet therapy in a child

Ryan W Hick1, Neil Prose

  • 1Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Ryan.Hick@uphs.upenn.edu

Pediatric Dermatology
|July 9, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Foscarnet can cause genital erosions in adults with HIV. This case shows penile erosions in a boy receiving foscarnet during umbilical cord blood transplantation.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Hematology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Dermatology

Background:

  • Foscarnet is an antiviral medication used to treat cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus infections.
  • Genital erosions are a known side effect of foscarnet in adult patients, particularly those with HIV.
  • Umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT) is a procedure used to treat various hematologic malignancies and genetic disorders.

Observation:

  • A pediatric case of penile erosions associated with foscarnet therapy is presented.
  • The patient underwent umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT).
  • This adverse event occurred in a pediatric patient, expanding the known demographic for this side effect.

Findings:

  • Foscarnet therapy can lead to penile erosions in pediatric patients.
  • The occurrence of genital erosions is not limited to adult patients with HIV.
  • This case highlights a potential adverse drug reaction in a different clinical context.

Implications:

  • Clinicians should be aware of the potential for foscarnet-induced genital erosions in pediatric patients undergoing CBT.
  • Monitoring for dermatological side effects is crucial during foscarnet treatment in children.
  • Further research may be warranted to understand the mechanism and incidence of foscarnet-induced erosions in pediatric populations.

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