Erythema Toxicum Neonatorum Research Paper
By Jonas Wilson, Ing. Med.
Erythema toxicum neonatorum
Erythema toxicum neonatorum (ETN) is a fairly common rash in newborns and it is benign and self-limited. It occurs in the early neonatal period (period from birth to 1 month), usually between days 2 to 5. Red spots on the skin that have a blotchy appearance with whitish-yellow papules or pustules overlying them characterize ETN. Also known as toxic erythema of the newborn or urticarial neonatorum, ETN affects up to nearly half of all full-term infants and has a much lower frequency in those born prematurely. Furthermore, although there is a chance of under-recognition in infants with darker skin types, there are no known gender or racial predilections associated with ETN.
ETN may appear scary to the new parent, but it is thought to cause no discomfort to the baby. The lesions may be few or numerous and usually resolve within the first …show more content…
This suggestion is made on the basis of increased levels of inflammatory and immunological markers such as interleukin 1, interleukin 8, the adhesion molecule E-selectin, eotaxin, the chemotactic factor psoriasin and nitric oxide among others. ETN predominantly affects areas that are hair bearing and this suggests the potential involvement of the hair follicle. In addition, there is an increase in the number of mast cells around the hair follicles.
Although no allergens have been identified, there is an eosinophilic infiltrate of ETN and this suggests that there may be a hypersensitivity- or allergic-related etiology. The skin of neonates typically responds to any insult with eosinophilic cells and because premature infants are less commonly affected by ETN it is believed that the skin of an immunologically mature newborn is required to generate the reaction. Contact and mechanical irritation have both been ruled out as potential etiologies for toxic erythema of the
Erythema toxicum neonatorum
Erythema toxicum neonatorum (ETN) is a fairly common rash in newborns and it is benign and self-limited. It occurs in the early neonatal period (period from birth to 1 month), usually between days 2 to 5. Red spots on the skin that have a blotchy appearance with whitish-yellow papules or pustules overlying them characterize ETN. Also known as toxic erythema of the newborn or urticarial neonatorum, ETN affects up to nearly half of all full-term infants and has a much lower frequency in those born prematurely. Furthermore, although there is a chance of under-recognition in infants with darker skin types, there are no known gender or racial predilections associated with ETN.
ETN may appear scary to the new parent, but it is thought to cause no discomfort to the baby. The lesions may be few or numerous and usually resolve within the first …show more content…
This suggestion is made on the basis of increased levels of inflammatory and immunological markers such as interleukin 1, interleukin 8, the adhesion molecule E-selectin, eotaxin, the chemotactic factor psoriasin and nitric oxide among others. ETN predominantly affects areas that are hair bearing and this suggests the potential involvement of the hair follicle. In addition, there is an increase in the number of mast cells around the hair follicles.
Although no allergens have been identified, there is an eosinophilic infiltrate of ETN and this suggests that there may be a hypersensitivity- or allergic-related etiology. The skin of neonates typically responds to any insult with eosinophilic cells and because premature infants are less commonly affected by ETN it is believed that the skin of an immunologically mature newborn is required to generate the reaction. Contact and mechanical irritation have both been ruled out as potential etiologies for toxic erythema of the