Fulminant Demodex folliculitis
... in a patient with ulcerative colitis treated with tofacitinib
Recent publication
In their publication in the Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD) - Case Reports, doctors from the Division of Dermatology and Venereal Diseases at St. Pölten University Hospital describe the case of a patient with ulcerative colitis. Due to non-response to selected immunosuppressants and biopharmaceuticals, treatment with the relatively newly approved drug "Tofacitinib" was started. Tofacitinib belongs to the drug class of Janus kinase inhibitors.
10 months after starting treatment, the woman developed a fever and a severe skin rash (Demodex folliculorum). Acne and adverse skin reactions have already been described under JAK and JAK inhibitor therapy; the underlying pathophysiology is not yet sufficiently clarified. Due to the lack of guidelines, the therapy in the described case is similar to other drug-induced acne forms and successful despite continued treatment with tofacitinib. The detailed treatment regimen and the course of the disease can be read in the freely accessible publication.
Neudorfer C, Trautinger F, Prillinger K. Fulminant Demodex folliculitis in a patient with ulcerative colitis treated with tofacitinib. JAAD Case Reports. 2023 Sept;39:14-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jdcr.2023.06.028
Dr. Carolina Neudorfer
Division of Dermatology and Venereal Diseases (University Hospital St. Pölten)
Prim. Univ.-Prof. Dr. Franz Trautinger
Division of Dermatology and Venereal Diseases (University Hospital St. Pölten)
Dr. Knut-Erich Prillinger
Division of Dermatology and Venereal Diseases (University Hospital St. Pölten)
