Dermatológia pre prax 1/2022

Herpetic eczema as a complication of the atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases with chronic or chronically relapsing course. The current understanding demonstrates that AD is a genetically determined disease with a impaired skin barier function, immune dysregulation and influence of enviromental factors. Patients with atopic eczema are more prone to viral, bacterial and fungal infectious complications. One of the most serious complication of AD is infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV)- eczema herpeticum (EH). Introduction of using an antiviral systemic treatment has significantly reduced the course of the disease, but in some cases, disease is still a potentially life-threatening complication (oncologic patients, immunocompromised patient, infants, etc.). The article provides an overview of the pathophysiology, clinical picture, diagnostic methods and prevention options

Keywords: herpetic eczema, atopic dermatitis, complications