[Dermatitis herpetiformis].

Dermatitis herpetiformis is characterised by an intensely itchy, chronic, papulovesicular eruption, usually on elbows, knees and buttocks. The diagnosis is based on granular IgA deposits in the dermal papillae in a perilesional skin biopsy analysed by immunofluorescence microscopy. Most patients have subclinical celiac disease; a gluten-free diet is effective in most cases. IgA antibodies against tissue transglutaminase (TG2) may be involved in the pathogenesis of celiac disease with or without dermatitis herpetiformis, and an epidermal transglutaminase (TG3) may be the autoantigen in dermatitis herpetiformis. This article provides a short review intended for the general practitioner of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of dermatitis herpetiformis.