Eczema Herpeticum: Would You Know It If You Saw It?

Eczema herpeticum is an easily missed entity most commonly seen in the pediatric population and carries the risk of systemic compromise and a 10% mortality rate. Clinicians should maintain high clinical suspicion when encountering children or young adults with a history of atopic dermatitis or other erosive dermatoses and who present with vesicular lesions, punched-out erosions, and systemic symptoms. We present 3 severe cases of eczema herpeticum that were potentially overlooked and demonstrate the need for elevated awareness to avoid potential pitfalls.