Kaposi's Varicelliform Eruption in Phenytoin-Induced Erythroderma

© 2017 Indian Dermatology Online Journal | Published by Wolters Kluwer Medknow A 48‐year‐old female presented with 15‐days‐duration of erythroderma after taking phenytoin. She had erosions covered with thick yellow crusts around the oral cavity, started 12 days after erythroderma. [Figure 1]. Systemic examination and blood investigations were within normal limits. The patient was treated for erythroderma and her general condition improved, however, the perioral erosions increased in number with thick crusting. On further probing, the patient admitted to picking at the lesions and also provided a history of few tiny fluid‐filled lesions around the mouth a few days prior to admission. Patient had no previous history of fluid filled vesicles around oral cavity. A Tzanck smear was taken from the base of the lesions after removal of the crusts, which revealed epithelial multinucleated giant cells [Figure 2]. A diagnosis of Kaposi’s varicelliform eruption (KVE) was considered and the patient was subsequently put on acyclovir to which she responded well [Figure 3].