Pityriasis Lichenoides et Varioliformis Acuta. Presented by Dr. Louis Rubin, Rockford, Ill.
A 23-year-old white man states he had no cutaneous eruption prior to about March 1, 1955. At that time he developed a dry scaly lesion on his right thigh, and a few days later a generalized, erythematous, papular eruption. There were no premonitory symptoms.
At present on his neck, trunk, arms, upper legs, and areas of feet he has erythematous papules up to about 8 mm. in diameter. Many lesions have hemorrhagic centers and hemorrhagic crusts. Some lesions have become ulcerated, and a few have a suggestion of a vesicular center. Pruritus is marked.
Biopsy section shows the epidermis to be necrotic in one area. Bordering this there are large swollen epithelial nuclei and pale-staining binucleate cells. The cytoplasm of some epithelial cells is condensed and assumes the appearance of individual cell keratinization. Many of the