title: Juvenile spring eruption: clinicopathologic features and phototesting results in 4 cases.
abstract: Juvenile spring eruption is a distinct photodermatosis characterized by the development of papules and vesicles on light-exposed areas of the ears usually in the early springtime. It primarily affects boys and young men, and has a tendency to occur in the form of small epidemics. We report a similar outbreak in separate groups of soldiers who were performing military exercises during cold and sunny weather of a midwinter season. The clinicopathologic features and phototesting results are described in 4 of these cases. All patients showed normal erythemal responses to monochromator phototesting with UV and visible wave bands. Photoprovative testing with repeated daily exposures of the ears to a broadband UVA source provoked diffuse erythema and itching in 1 case, whereas similar photoprovocation of a nonaffected area, ie, the flexor surface of the forearm, in 2 patients did not yield a skin reaction. Although the cause of juvenile spring eruption is not known, our observations further strengthen the hypothesis that the disorder is a localized variant of polymorphous light eruption.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Photobiology Unit, University of Athens, Andreas Sygros Hospital, 5 Dragoumi Street, Athens 161 21, Greece. alstrat@hol.gr
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Stratigos
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Antoniou
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papadakis
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papapostolou
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sabatziotis
authors.forename: Konstantina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tranaka
authors.forename: Konstantina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsara
authors.forename: Andreas D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Katsambas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D009783:Dermatitis, Occupational / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004423:Ear; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012621:Seasons; D012882:Skin Tests; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays