Hydroa vacciniforme: diagnosis and therapy

Hydroa vacciniforme is a rare, chronic photodermatosis with onset in childhood. Multiple exposures to UV-A reproduced the symptoms and the vesicular and scarring lesions typical of the sun-induced disease in our patient. Treatment with hydroxychloroquine sulfate, but not indomethacin, reduced the photosensitivity both to sunlight and to artificial UV-A light. Serum complement levels were low while the disease was active and returned to normal after treatment of the patient with hydroxychloroquine.