Bullous Eruption Caused by an Exotic Hedgehog Purchased as a Household Pet

Abstract

An unusual case of a 37-year-old woman with bullous tinea manuum caused by an infection with Trichophyton mentagrophytes is described. The patient presented with a pruritic erythematous vesicular rash on the right palm and interdigital web spaces between the first and second digits. The preliminary diagnosis was acute contact dermatitis, which was treated with oral and topical corticosteroids. The rash failed to respond to treatment, resulting in tinea incognito. At 2-week follow-up, a potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation performed in clinic was positive for T mentagrophytes. The suspected source of infection was a domestic 4-toed, white-bellied African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris). There was remarkable improvement of the lesion after 2 weeks with appropriate topical and systemic antifungal agents. This case illustrates that popular exotic pets such as the hedgehog can increase the risk for zoophilic dermatophytic infection, which can present as bullous lesions with little or no scale and can be confused with acute contact dermatitis. It is important for the clinician to recognize this presentation and provide close follow-up for lesions not responding to treatment.