Pemphigoid gestationis and bullous lesions in the newborn

Background. - Pemphigoid gestationis is very seldom responsible for cutaneo us lesions in new-borns through passive transfer of the autoimmune disease from mother to infant. Case report. - We report an additional case of a newborn presenting with an extensive but transitory bullous eruption despite the absence of circulati ng autoantibodies. Conclusion. - Such examples of transplacental pemphigoid are so uncommon th at the pathogenic role of 1gG autoantibodies is being questioned. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.