Bullous pemphigoid in an infant: a case report and literature review

Bullous pemphigoid is an autoimmune bullous disease that is rare in children and infants. It seems indistinguishable from the disease in adults although mucous membrane, palms and soles involvement appear more commonly in childhood bullous pemphigoid. There is no association with malignancy. The most reliable diagnostic criterias are the linear deposition of IgG and C3 along the basement membrane zone and the presence of circulating IgG antibasement membrane zone antibodies. The literature of bullous pemphigoid is reviewed and a case of a 7-month-old girl with typical clinical manifestations and immunofluorescence studies is reported. She responded very well to a high dose of systemic corticosteroid. The disease can be spontaneously resolved and the prognosis for children is good in most cases.