WELLS SYNDROME IN CHILDHOOD - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

We report a severe case of Wells' syndrome, or eosinophilic cellulitis , after a bee sting in a 4-year-old girl. The patient had a widespread , painful, blistering eruption that was subsequently complicated by Ps eudomonas aeruginosa superinfection and septicemia, hypoalbuminemia, a nemia, and neutropenia. The skin lesions responded to systemic steroid therapy. There was residual scarring alopecia of the scalp. There hav e been 17 previous reports of childhood Wells' syndrome. We believe th at this disorder is a distinct entity that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of blistering diseases in children.