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Prurigo Mitis Occurring in Five Members of a Family. Presented by Dr. Maurice J. Costello.
C. R., a woman aged 39, a daughter aged 17, a daughter aged 7, a son aged 8, and a daughter aged 5 years came to the United States from Puerto Rico in May, 1953. One month later they developed papular urticarial lesions on the extensor aspects of the extremities. Because several members of the family were similarly affected by a pruritic dermatosis, scabies was considered, but this diagnosis was discarded on clinical grounds. We have observed the occurrence of several members of Puerto Rican families simultaneously affected by prurigo mitis. This is unique in our experience. We have never observed this in nationalities other than Puerto Ricans. Change of climate and high-carbohydrate, low-protein diets probably explain the condition. However, the mother stated that the diet here is as good as (if not better than)