Criteria for the diagnosis of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in adults.

The diagnosis of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome is usually made upon the bases of characteristic skin lesions and the isolation of toxin-producing staphylococci. However, these criteria are not always reliable. An adult patient with characteristic skin lesions was colonized with phage group 2 staphylococci. The patient was subsequently found to have a drug-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis. The criteria necessary for the diagnosis of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome are reviewed.