Coloured sweat in two brothers: First report of familial chromhidrosis

Abstract

The uncommon diagnosis of chromhidrosis is most frequently made in young adults. This sweat gland disease, although benign, may impact significantly on the patient's quality of life. We describe the first report of familial chromhidrosis of pseudo-eccrine type (pseudochromhidrosis) occurring in two brothers aged 9 and 12 years. The classification and causality of chromhidrosis is described and approaches to assessment and management are outlined.

Infectious Pseudochromhidrosis: A Case Report and Literature Review

“…IPCH is a rare dermatological disorder characterized by a change in sweat colour on normal skin due to microorganisms’ pigments. The infectiousness of this disorder has been exemplified in other studies ( 36 , 44 ) as well as by the current case report. The pigments causing the colour palette seen in this disorder appear to be of major importance for microorganisms.…”

“…Pseudomonas aeruginosa — blue-green IPCH ( 36 , 48 , 62 ): P. aeruginosa is a Gram-negative, aerobic coccobacillus, which is widespread in nature ( 63 ). It is well known that the bacteria can colonize moist skin surfaces and can cause a greenish discolouration of skin, nails, clothes, and surgical dressings ( 48 , 62 , 64 , 65 ).…”

“…P. aeruginosa may produce multiple water-soluble pigments, most commonly pyocyanin (blue) and pyoverdine (dim muddy yellow with a green fluorescence) causing the distinguishing blue-green hue ( 36 , 64 , 65 , 87 ). “Aeruginosa” derives from the Latin word for copper rust, referring to the characteristic, pseudomonal discolouration ( 65 ).…”

“…Eccrine glands are distributed with varying density over almost the entire integument and excrete large amounts of sweat, containing mostly water and electrolytes (1,3). Pseudochromhidrosis is a condition where colourless, eccrine sweat becomes coloured by exogenous factors on the skin surface, such as chromogenic microorganisms (1,2,15,(36)(37)(38) and chemical agents (39)(40)(41)(42). The reported colours are yellow (5), red (43)(44)(45), pink (46,47), blue (2,37,38), green (36,48), brown (39,40), and black (44,49,50), most commonly localized on the face, neck, and palms (2).…”

“…Pseudochromhidrosis is a condition where colourless, eccrine sweat becomes coloured by exogenous factors on the skin surface, such as chromogenic microorganisms ( 1 , 2 , 15 , 36 – 38 ) and chemical agents ( 39 – 42 ). The reported colours are yellow ( 5 ), red ( 43 – 45 ), pink ( 46 , 47 ), blue ( 2 , 37 , 38 ), green ( 36 , 48 ), brown ( 39 , 40 ), and black ( 44 , 49 , 50 ), most commonly localized on the face, neck, and palms ( 2 ).…”