Summary

Impetigo herpetiformis or gestational pustular psoriasis can account for 4.25% of all pregnancy dermatoses seen. Unlike other pregnancy dermatoses, it can be associated with constitutional symptoms including fever, rigors, arthralgia and complications of secondary infection and sepsis. There is an increased risk of fetal anomalies and stillbirths. A 25-year-old para 1 presented to primary care at 7 weeks gestation with a peri-umbilical rash non-responsive to topical steroids and underwent hospital admission at 31 weeks gestation with fever and a widespread painful erythematous rash. Her condition worsened despite high-dose oral steroids. With the use of cyclosporine and regular opioid analgesia over 2 weeks, her symptoms were adequately controlled. She went into spontaneous labour at 41⁺² weeks and delivered a healthy male infant. Impetigo herpetiformis can be treated first line with topical and oral steroids and supportive measures, but immunomodulatory therapies such as cyclosporine have shown success in treating resistant cases.