Resumo

CONDE BARREIRO, S. et al. Possible relationship between alopecia areata and enterovirus infections. Rev Pediatr Aten Primaria [online]. 2014, vol.16, n.63, pp.e87-e93. ISSN 1139-7632.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1139-76322014000400004.

Introduction: alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology that is associated to other autoimmune diseases. Hand-foot-mouth disease is a common viral infection in children caused by several enterovirus serotypes, and it is sometimes associated to onychomadesis. This study intends to investigate an increase in cases of alopecia areata after an outbreak of hand-foot-mouth disease in our environment. Methods: identification of patients under 14 years old diagnosed with hand-foot-mouth disease and/or alopecia areata in a Primary Care Service Area between 1/1/2011 and 31/12/2012. Review of medical records, collecting date of birth and diagnosis, age at diagnosis and clinical characteristics. Results: forty-nine patients diagnosed with hand-foot-mouth disease and 7 diagnosed with alopecia areata were found. An outbreak of hand-foot-mouth disease was confirmed with 42 cases within a period of 8 weeks. A subsequent increase in cases of alopecia areata (4 cases within 4 weeks, compared with 3 cases over the 11 months before and none during the previous year) was observed. Conclusions: following an outbreak of hand-foot-mouth disease an increased number of cases of alopecia areata was observed. This fact, coupled with the association of alopecia areata with other autoimmune diseases, and the relationship found between enterovirus infections and autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes mellitus poses a possible causal relationship between enterovirus infections and alopecia areata, and a possible component of autoimmunity in onychomadesis associated to hand-foot-mouth disease.

Palavras-chave : Alopecia areata; Hand; foot and mouth disease; Autoimmunity; Enterovirus; Onychomadesis; Pediatrics.

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