Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) is a rare disease characterized by the congenital absence of skin layers. While most commonly seen on the scalp, the disease can affect other parts of the body as well.
Because safe, effective treatment for ACC has not yet been identified, managing the disease in newborns continues to be problematic. Moreover, surgery is especially difficult in low-income countries due to the lack of specialized doctors, diagnostic tools and readily-available medicines.
This study reports on the clinical case of a baby with extensive aplasia born to an HIV-positive mother receiving antiretroviral drugs, which were pinpointed as the possible cause of the baby’s disease. Conservative treatment proved insufficient to ensure his survival.
The case highlights once again the need to improve maternal and child health in low-resource countries, in order to guarantee the possibility of the most appropriate therapeutic approach to ACC.