Skin lesions in a 16-month-old toddler with impaired zinc absorption.

Acrodermatitis enteropathica is a rare, autosomal recessive condition which results from impaired zinc absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. We report a 16-month-old female patient with a 7-month history of periorificial and acral skin lesions. Diagnosing of Acrodermatitis enteropathica was established on the basis of the patient's history as well as clinical and laboratory findings (a lowered zinc level in the child's serum: 17.2μg/dL (N 70-160 μg/dL)). Rapid clinical improvement was observed right after launching zinc supplementation.