title: Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in two very low birth weight infants.
abstract: Two premature infants with very low birth weight were diagnosed with staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) during hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit. This syndrome which is rare in premature infants, is characterized by blistering and superficial desquamation of the skin and is caused by two epidermolytic toxins (ETA and ETB) produced by Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome usually occurs in young children probably because of inefficient clearance of the epidermolytic toxins from the bloodstream, which causes dysfunction of cell adhesion in the superficial epidermis. Early diagnosis and early treatment with parenterally administered beta-lactamase resistant penicillins are important to prevent life threatening complications of this syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology and Microbiology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lianne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Haveman
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fleer
authors.forename: Leo J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Gerards
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology; D013206:Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification