Herpes gestations with identical lesions in the newborn. Passive transfer of the disease?

Cutaneous lesions of herpes gestation is developed in a newborn on the fifth day of life and disappeared spontaneously after three weeks. The immunologic phenomena were analogous in the mother and child. No circulating or in vivo-bound immunoglobulins were demonstrated, but components 3 and 4 of complement were present at the basement membrane zone. We discuss a possible passive transfer of the disease to the newborn, and a supposedly pathogenetic role of immunologic phenomena in herpes gestationis.

Herpes gestationis in mother and erythemato-pustulous rash in the newborn with positive direct immunofluorescence. A transfer of the disease?

A 24-year-old secundigravida presented at 38 weeks of amenorrhea with typical cutaneous lesions of herpes gestationis. The newborn developed a skin rash 3 days after birth. The rash clinically resembled erythema toxicum neonatorum with dermal infiltrate of lymphocytes and eosinophilic polymorphonuclear cells forming a few intraepidermal pustules. The complement-binding antibody test for herpes gestationis factor was negative, but direct immunofluorescence study on this biopsy demonstrated a linear deposit of IgG and complement on the basement membrane zone. The possible transmission of the disease to the newborn is discussed.

[A case of bullous dermatosis at the end of pregnancy transmitted to the newborn: herpes gestationis]. / Un cas de dermatose bulleuse de fin de grossesse "transmise" au nouveau-né: herpes gestationis.

The authors report a case of bullous dermatosis developing at 38 weeks of amenorrhoea in a para II. The newborn infant developed a skin rash 3 days after birth. Direct immunofluorescent study of skin biopsies showed the presence of a very small amount of IgG and a very large amount of complement fixed to the basal membrane. Tests for the presence of Herpes gestationis factor in maternal and child blood by immunofluorescence to anti-complement were negative. Tests for anti-epidermal antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence in the serum were also negative, for both anti-basal membrane antibodies as well as anti-intercellular substance antibodies.

Herpes gestationis / Herpes gestationis

Exponemos el caso de una paciente que cursando un embarazo de 32 semanas presenta Herpes gestationis, manejado en nuestro servicio. El caso tuvo una evolución similar a la descrita en la bibliografía, con buena respuesta a la terapia esteroidal. El recién nacido padeció un cuadro similar al de la madre remitiendo en forma espontánea