Diagnostic Pitfalls in Newborns and Babies with Blisters and Erosions

Table 2

Variables causing problems in differential diagnosis.

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Clinical features

 Similarity and overlapping of clinical features

 Coexistance of different diseases

 Colonization and/or superinfection

 Absence of late changes in the neonate (scar formation, pigmentation changes, nail dystrophy)

Diagnostical methods

 Sample (site of sample not representative, secondary alterations)

 Timepoint of sample collection (i.e., higher herpes simplex virus load in early vesicles)

 Sensitivity and specifity of method

 Technical problems (wrong transportation media, …)

 Experience in interpreting the results

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