Acral manifestations associated with infection.

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Dermatology

Background:

• Acral lesions are common physical findings in pediatric infectious diseases.
• These lesions are often overlooked but crucial for diagnosing underlying conditions.
• A comprehensive review of infectious etiologies for childhood acral lesions is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of infectious causes of acral lesions in children.
• To discuss the clinical presentation, evolution, and management of these lesions.
• To be the first review to cover viral, bacterial, and mycotic causes of acral lesions in childhood.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of infectious diseases presenting with acral lesions in pediatric populations.
• Synthesis of information on clinical characteristics, diagnostic approaches, and treatment strategies.
• Categorization of causes into viral, bacterial, and mycotic origins.

Main Results:

• Identified a range of viral (e.g., hand, foot, and mouth disease), bacterial (e.g., secondary syphilis), and mycotic (e.g., invasive candidiasis) etiologies.
• Detailed the typical presentation and progression of these infectious acral lesions.
• Outlined evidence-based treatment recommendations for each category of infection.

Conclusions:

• Infectious agents are significant causes of acral lesions in children.
• Recognizing characteristic acral lesions aids in timely diagnosis and appropriate management.
• This review consolidates knowledge on viral, bacterial, and fungal causes, offering a valuable resource for clinicians.