What are the most likely possible causes of skin rash in an infant?
There are various possible causes, the most obvious of which are viral or bacterial infection (eg, chickenpox, measles), staphylococcal superinfection of eczema or allergy to a chemical or drug. What skin disorder does this type of lesion suggest? The erythematous lesions described are suggestive of the target-like lesions which are characteristic of erythema multiforme. Penicillins are a recognised cause of this sort of reaction but infection is also a common cause. The presence of fever could indicate progression to a more serious skin disorder. Is there any other information that might be important? It would be important to ascertain whether the baby has had any other medication recently (eg, OTC cough mixtures, analgesics, vaccinations), exactly how long the antibiotic has been taken, whether there is any history of eczema or drug allergy, and whether there are any other signs or symptoms, particularly mucous membrane involvement (eg, lesions in the mouth). It is also worth finding
