Febrile perianal streptococcal dermatitis.

We describe a child with an unusual presentation of perianal streptococcal dermatitis which included fever, acral scarletiniform desquamation, and extension of erythema to involve the genitalia and proximal thighs, as well as the commonly seen well-defined erythema of the perianal area. We suggest that isolated group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GAS) in our patient produced a pyrogenic exotoxin similar to that which appears in scarlet fever.