Le syndrome de Netherton : une ectodermatose du petit nourrisson avec retard de croissance, déficit immunitaire et rachitisme. À propos de 3 cas

We report the cases of 2 boys and 1 girl suffering from Netherton syndrome. Both boys presented with a non-bullous congenital erythroderma and were diagnosed early as Netherton syndrome with hair biopsies. Both had severe failure to thrive, signs of atopy, several episodes of bacterial infection, and rickets (with a high blood level of vitamin D in the first boy, and vitamin D deficiency in the second). In the third case, the pilar abnormality appeared at the age of 3 years. The girl had ichtyosis linearis circumflexa, failure to thrive and severe constipation. Netherton syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by severe ichtyosis, signs of atopy, immune deficiency and failure to thrive. The disease is severe and comprises many complications in early infancy. It is due to a genetic disorder of recessive autosomal transmission, and the gene, SPINK5, is located in the chromosome 5. Prenatal diagnosis is possible. Two of our patients had rickets, which has never been described in such patients population.