(BMJ)—A 4-mo-old preterm, exclusively breast-fed baby presented w/ 2-mo hx of red, crusted plaques on her face and anogenital region, irritability, and diarrhea. There was no change after oral and topical abx. The rash resolved w/ appropriate tx. What is it?
Seborrheic dermatitis
Candidiasis
Ecthyma
Herpes simplex virus infxn
Zinc deficiency
You are correct. Zinc deficiency was clinically suspected and oral zinc sulfate was started. The rash resolved w/in 10 days. Blood tests confirmed low zinc; maternal serum and breast milk zinc were also low. Transient neonatal zinc deficiency is caused by defective zinc secretion into breast milk. Zinc supplements should be started on the basis of clinical suspicion (infantile facial and anogenital rashes unresponsive to standard tx) and continued until weaning.
By vgreene, 28 March, 2016
By vgreene, 25 March, 2016
By vgreene, 25 March, 2016
By vgreene, 25 March, 2016