Causes of Childhood Exanthems
The causes of childhood exanthems can be categorised according to the type of eruptions that occur:
Maculopapular Eruptions
Maculopapular eruptions are seen most commonly in viral illnesses and immune-mediated illnesses. Table 1 lists the most common causes of maculopapular eruptions
| Measles (rubeola) |
| Rubella |
| Erythema infectiosum (slapped cheek) |
| Exanthum subitum (roseola) |
| Lyme disease |
| Pityriasis |
| Drug-related eruptions |
| Erythema multiforme |
Diffuse Erythema with Desquamation
The majority of children with diffuse erythema will present with a fever and non-specific symptoms. The most common causes of diffuse erythema with desquamation are shown in Table 2.
| Scarlet fever |
| Toxic shock syndrome |
| Staphylococcal scaled skin syndrome |
| Kawasaki disease |
Vesicobullous or pustular eruptions
Vesicobullous or pustular eruptions are linked to infections, acute ezcematous tissue reactions, trauma or inflammatory bullous disorders. The most common causes of infection-related vesicobullous or pustular eruptions are shown in Table 3.
| (Diffuse) varicella zoster |
| (Diffuse) disseminated gonococcaemia |
| (Local) hand, foot and mouth (coxsackievirus) |
| (Local) herpes zoster |
| Staphylococcal bacteraemia |