ABSTRACT
A total of 83 patients attending the out-patient clinic of the Dermatology Department of the Medical City presenting with clinically typical of Erythema multiforme were examined during the period between Nov., 1988 and May, 1989. The aim of the study was to find the age and sex of the patients, distribution of the lesion with a special emphasis on the possible provoking factors and rate of previous attacks and to create awareness about Leishmania tropica as a new possible cause for Erythema multiforme. The study showed that the incidence of Erythema multiforme was found to be 0.32% [83 per 25724], with an age ranging form one to 65 years with mean age of 23.7 years with sex ratio of [51 Females / 32 Males]. The commonest provoking factor was Herpes Simplex [45%], followed by drugs [17%] like Acetyl salicylic acid, ampicillin, paracetamol, co-trimoxazol and probanthin, 9.6% of the cases followed a respiratory illness, tonsillitis accounted for 7.2% of the cases. Orf for 3.6%. helminthic infestations for 2.4% of the cases, other provoking factors were Leishmania tropica, Trichomonas Vaginalis, otitis media, dental sepsis and mumps, in 14% of the patients no factor could be incriminated. In 41% of the cases there was history of previous attacks, 50% of these followed Herpes simplex. The number of the attacks ranged from one to fifteen attacks. In 96% of the cases the lesions were distributed on the limbs. 95% of the investigated patients showed the Simplex variety