IgA pemphigus foliaceus: a case report.

An 84-year-old male with a 4-week history of vesiculobullous eruptions was diagnosed clinically and pathologically to suffer from pemphigus foliaceus. Amazingly, direct immunofluorescence demonstrated intercellular IgA deposits in the whole epidermis. The patient did not respond to a regimen of fluocortolone and azathioprine but rapidly improved under dapsone. The few reported dermatoses with intraepidermal IgA deposits do not form a homogeneous group. In the following, their spectrum will be outlined. It is important to distinguish these dermatoses from IgG pemphigus, since they require a different therapy.