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Ritter's exfoliative dermatitis of newborns
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
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Ritter's exfoliative dermatitis of the newborn is an exfoliative variant of epidemic pemphigus of the newborn, most often caused by staphylococcus. It occurs during the first month of life, clinically characterized by the sudden development of erythemato-edematous and bullous elements that quickly spread throughout the skin, and the process takes on the character of erythroderma with large-plate peeling. Nikolsky's symptom is positive, which can lead to the formation of extensive erosions. At the height of the disease - fever, severe general condition, dyspepsia, pyococcal lesion of internal organs. The prognosis is unfavorable.
[ Pathomorphology of Ritter's exfoliative dermatitis of the newborn
The vessels of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue are dilated, there is a pronounced edema of the spinous layer of the epidermis up to the horny layer, spreading to the papillary and reticular layers of the dermis, where moderately pronounced perivascular infiltrates are determined. In some cases, the inflammatory phenomena are quite significant, sometimes with signs of hemorrhage.
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