Abstract
The term “erythema multiforme (EM)” includes a wide and controversial variety of clinical
expressions at the present time. This study revises the EM minor characteristics according
to the most important publications found in literature. EM is a distinct dermatologic
hypersensitivity pathology characterized by cutaneous or mucous lesions, and eventually,
it can also involve both. In the EM minor, only one mucous membrane is affected and
usually is the oral mucosa. When occur in the skin, the lesions usually appear symmetrically
in the extremities and may exhibit several forms; hence, the name EM, in a target
form, could be continuous or recurrent and none additional systemic involvement is
present for both cases. Nowadays, many authors separate etiologically the several
manifestations of the EM spectrum. However, no clinical definition is still accepted
thoroughly, making more difficult the comparisons of etiological and clinical aspects,
histopathological studies, and therapeutic protocols. For the present work, we tried
to elucidate through an extensive literature revision, some historical and current
aspects of EM, focusing mainly the EM minor and its frequent association to herpes
simplex virus, with their diagnostic characteristics and current therapeutics, to
facilitate the physician understanding, and to favor future researches about this
mysterious disease.
Keywords
Epidermal necrolysis toxic - herpes-associated erythema multiforme - herpes simplex
virus - Stevens–Johnson syndrome
