General Information About Pemphigus
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a rare autoimmune disease where antibodies destroy the protein structures that hold skin cells together, causing the skin layers to separate and form fluid-filled blisters.
Pemphigus Vulgaris is the most common type. The disease usually begins with painful, non-healing sores inside the mouth (making chewing difficult) and spreads to the entire skin months later.
In pemphigus, the blisters (bullae) are located in the uppermost layer of the skin, so they are very thin, burst upon touch, and turn into open, bleeding sores (erosions). In bullous pemphigoid, the blisters are deeper, tense, and harder to rupture.
It is absolutely not contagious. It occurs when a person's own immune system mistakenly attacks itself due to genetic or environmental factors (certain blood pressure medications can trigger it).
When the blisters burst, large areas of the skin remain as open wounds (much like in severe burn patients). This condition paves the way for severe fluid/protein loss and fatal skin infections.
To rapidly suppress the disease, very high doses of intravenous or oral Cortisone (steroids) are initiated. While the steroid dose is gradually reduced, immunosuppressive drugs and antibody-clearing biologic agents (like Rituximab) are added to the regimen.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
