Eczema herpeticum: Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment - Medical News Today
When the skin of someone with eczema comes into contact with the herpes virus, they may develop eczema herpeticum. Eczema herpeticum is rare, but it can produce severe symptoms that need urgent medical attention. In this article, we provide an overview of eczema and herpes and look at the causes, symptoms, and treatment of eczema herpeticum, which can occur when these two conditions meet. Herpes does not cause serious health problems for someone with a healthy immune system. However, if a person with eczema becomes infected with one of the herpes simplex viruses — HSV-1 or HSV-2 — they may develop eczema herpeticum. Eczema herpeticum is a rare but potentially serious complication. It can happen when areas of the skin that eczema affects come into contact with the herpes virus. It is most likely to result from contact with a cold sore (HSV-1) and usually occurs on the: head neck trunk Symptoms of eczema herpeticum usually appear 5–12 days after exposure to sores from the herpes virus. T...