Dermatitis herpetiforme: Reporte de un caso

Dermatitis herpetiformis is a chronic autoimmune blistering disease, first described in 1884 by Louis Duhring. It is characterized by erythematous plaques composed by papules and vesicles, some of them excoriated. The classical clinical presentation is on extensor surface of the extremities, but it can be generalized. Dermatitis herpetiformis is characterized by the deposition of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and transglutaminase 3 (TGe) complexes in the papillary dermis, as a result of chronic stimulation of the intestinal mucosa by dietary gluten, producing the typical lesions. The diagnosis is based on clinical appearance, and the histopathology findings in hematoxylin and eosin stain, and direct immunofluorescence showing deposition of IgA in a granular pattern in the papillary dermis. The treatment includes a gluten-free diet and dapsone, considered the first-line drug therapy. We discuss a 51-year-old female case, with dermatitis herpetiformis, and an excellent response to dapsone.