Role of food allergy in the etiology of infantile eosinophilic pustular folliculitis

Abstract

Role of food allergy in the etiology of infantile eosinophilic pustular folliculitisTo the Editor, Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (EPF) of infancy (EPFI) is an inflammatory dermatosis that mostly occurs in early infancy and resolves spontaneously by 3 years of age. 1 Prominent eosinophilic infiltration, itchy papulopustules measuring 1-3 mm accompanied by erythema, recurrent outbreaks, and usually involvement of scalp are the characteristic findings of the disease. 1,2 The best way to quickly diagnose EPF without the assessment of the clinical course is to perform a Tzanck smear of a pustule or skin biopsy. 3 The pustules in EPF contain a large number of eosinophils and are accompanied by dermal infiltration of eosinophil-dominated inflammatory cells around the hair follicles. 4 Eosinophilia is common, and serum IgE levels may also be raised. 1 EPFI is the least well-described type of EPF, and neither the etiology nor the pathogenesis is clarified yet. 5 The disease is associated with a variety of different factors, 1,2 but there is no case report that shows an association with food allergy.In our case, a 3 months-old male baby was brought to our clinic with the complaint of itching, inflamed, and water-filled wounds on the scalp, hands, and feet. The patient, whose complaints started a few weeks ago, was given topical mupirocin, erythromycin, fusidic acid, and permethrin treatments for the diagnoses of impetigo, acne, and scabies. Yet, his family appealed to our clinic because of no improvement in the patient's clinic.From the history of the patient, it was learned that when he was 23 days old, he was hospitalized in the intensive care unit for 1 week | 3 of 3 CLINICAL LETTER