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Atopic dermatitis (AD) affects 9% to 18% of the pediatric population. Eczema herpeticum (EH) refers to herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 or 2 infection superimposed on AD. EH can spread quickly and cause complications, including bacterial superinfection (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), keratoconjunctivitis, and disseminated HSV (i.e., multiple organ involvement, meningitis, and/or encephalitis), which carries a mortality rate of 1% to 9%. (see also JW Dermatol Oct 9 2009).
First-line therapy for pediatric EH is acyclovir, administered orally or intravenously, depending on severity. There is no protocol for the treatment of EH, however. Investigators conducted a retrospective study of 79 pediatric patien…