Oral treatment of acrodermatitis enteropathica with zinc sulfate.

In a 7-year-old boy with acrodermatitis enteropathica, oral administration of zinc sulfate brought about complete relief of symptoms and signs, with clearing of the skin lesions, arrest of diarrhea, and growth of new hair. Considering the dramatic results obtained, we believe that oral treatment with zinc sulfate is an innocuous, inexpensive, and very effective medication for acrodermatitis enteropathica, which can replace the previously used and toxic diiodohydroxyquin-like drugs.