ERYTHEMA TOXIC NEONATORUM

Diagnosis: ERYTHEMA TOXIC NEONATORUM

Case submitted by Dr.Azeem Alam Khan to the dermRounds community.

Clinical Presentation

Clinical photograph(s) submitted for peer review and discussion.

Clinical History

Submitted by Dr.Azeem Alam Khan. Originally posted May 13, 2009.

Treatment

See case discussion.

Differential Diagnosis

• Transient neonatal pustular melanosis • Neonatal herpes simplex • Neonatal candidiasis • Miliaria • Staphylococcal pustulosis • Incontinentia pigmenti

Key Learnings

• Most common pustular eruption of the newborn — affects up to 50% of full-term neonates • Onset: 24-72 hours of life • Blotchy erythematous macules with central yellow-white papules/pustules • Wright stain of pustule contents: abundant eosinophils — pathognomonic • Benign, self-limited — resolves within 5-14 days without treatment • No treatment needed — reassurance only • Gram stain negative (distinguishes from bacterial pustulosis)

Tags: erythema, toxic, neonatorum, dr.azeem alam khan