Abstract
A 46-year-old man had developed an eruption on the face,arms,and legs about 3 years before he first visited our hospital. The skin pruritus was mild; however,there was erythema surrounded by several vesicles on his right forearm. The histological features showed evidence of papillary microabscesses composed of neutrophils. The direct immunofluorescence test revealed the presence of granular Immunoglobulin A(IgA)deposits on top of the dermal papillae. Therefore,we diagnosed this condition as a case of dermatitis herpetiformis(DH). The patient was treated with a topical steroid ointment,and eruption dramatically reduced. Topical steroids are often effective in mild cases of DH,but numerous cases progress and ultimately undergo chronic course. Furthermore,we may need to administer diaminodiphenyl sulfone(DDS)to this patient in the future. The outcome of this present case suggests that when a case of skin eruption with erythema surrounded by several vesicles is observed,the possibility that it may be a case of DH should be considered during the diagnosis.
