Infantile seborrheic dermatitis. Morphological and immunopathological study.

The pathomechanisms of infantile seborrheic dermatitis (ISD) are unknown. An allergic reaction to candidal antigens is one of the hypotheses. The skin of 6 patients suffering from ISD was studied by immunostaining techniques. The lymphocytic infiltrate was composed of Leu4-reactive T cells in which Leu3a-reactive (helper/inducer) cells predominated. Direct immunofluorescence studies revealed no significant deposits of immunoglobulins or complement factors. No candidal antigens could be demonstrated, either in epidermis or in dermis, although candida species were cultured from different sites in 4 of the 6 patients.