Eczema herpeticum: a dermatologic emergency.

Eczema herpeticum is a potentially life-threatening herpetic superinfection of a pre-existing skin disease. Despite the availability of antiviral therapies, eczema herpeticum remains a dermatologic emergency today. Two representative cases of eczema herpeticum along with discussion of the etiology, means of diagnosis, treatments, and complications of eczema herpeticum are presented.