Virginia Research Day 2025

Medical Student Research Case Reports

28 Blistering Hot Topic: A Rare Case of Staph Scalded Skin Syndrome

Fariha Bhuiyan; Christopher T. Gabbert; Nonna L. Ebalo, MD Corresponding author: fbhuiyan@vt.vcom.edu

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine - Virginia Campus

Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome (SSSS) results in exfoliative epidermal sequelae as a result of infection with toxin-producing Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Although potentially life-threatening if left untreated, SSSS generally resolves with antibiotic use; this condition is more common in children under the age of 2 and rarely affects those over age 6. This case involves an 8-year-old unimmunized female, with no significant past medical history, who presented to a pediatric clinic with a painful rash

that developed within 24 hours, starting on the face before spreading to the neck and trunk. Physical exam revealed blanching, erythematous macules with well-demarcated borders, accompanied by scaling and skin denudation behind the right ear and on the right upper chest. The patient reported tenderness to light palpation over all affected areas. A rapid strep test was negative, and the patient was discharged home on clindamycin with instructions for follow-up. Due to worsening symptoms the following day, she

was evaluated at a tertiary hospital, where she was diagnosed with SSSS. This case illustrates classic SSSS features in an atypical patient, emphasizing the importance of considering SSSS in the differential diagnosis of pediatric rashes, regardless of age. The authors received written patient consent for this report.

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