Pemphigus vulgaris: a short review for the practitioner.

Pemphigus vulgaris is a chronic blistering disease. Clinically it is characterized by painful intra-epidermal bullae and icial vesicles involving both the skin and mucosal areas. The diagnosis is confirmed by a skin biopsy along with immunofluorescence studies. Detection of circulating autoantibodies in the sera of patients, utilizing the ELISA technique, aids in the diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris. Severity index and therapeutic guidelines have been developed and used for the proper management of the disease. The therapeutic armamentarium for this chronic blistering disease continues to extend with the addition of new agents and the use of dfferent forms of combinations.