Phytophotodermatitis: A Sometimes Difficult Diagnosis

Abstract

Phytophotodermatitis may not be diagnosed when a patient is seen with erythema and vesicles on the skin. However, with the appropriate medical history, the diagnosis of phytophotodermatitis is easily made. Arch Fam Med. 2000;9:1195-1196

Phytophotodermatitis in 19 children admitted to hospital and their differential diagnoses: Child abuse and herpes simplex virus infection

“…Additional activities that may put people at risk are hiking, gardening, handling herbs, shrubs and trees (family Rutaceae, which features glandular punctate and commonly strong-smelling herbage, comprising about 150 genera and 1,500 species), variable fruits, vegetables, or plants (Apiaceae). 11 Phytophotodermatitis is sometimes a difficult diagnosis 12 to the untrained eye, occasionally leading to the inappropriate investigation of child abuse. [13][14][15][16] If the adult touches a child after touching plants or fruits containing furocoumarins, the pigmentary changes may have a ''digitate'' appearance, which differ from healing bruises caused by child abuse.…”

Phytophotodermatitis caused by Heracleum sosnowskyi with erythema multiforme-like lesions

“…Szczególnie istotna jest diagnostyka różnicowa u dzieci. Wątpliwości diagnostyczne może nasuwać nietypowy układ wykwitów skór-nych oraz pojawienie się zmian bez uchwytnej dla pacjenta przyczyny [1,7,18,23,24].…”

“…Do osób szczególnie narażonych należą: rolnicy, ogrodnicy, drwale, kucharze oraz pracownicy kwiaciarni [7,23,24]. Istotną rolę w profilaktyce der matitis pratensis bullosa podczas pracy z roślinami bogatymi w furanokumaryny odgrywają środki ochrony osobistej (rękawice i ubrania ochronne) oraz unikanie promieniowania słonecznego po przypadkowym kontakcie z fototoksyczną substancją roślinną.…”

Phytophotodermatitis: A Review of Its Clinical and Pathogenic Aspects

“…In South Brazil the Tahitian lemons are the most common cause of photoxic reaction. PPD has a wide range of clinical presentations [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] may appear as a "bizarre burns" (Figure 3a) that are sometimes mistaken for child abuse [9] or for lymphangitis [19] , due to its red streaks (Figure 3b). …”