Which finding on Wood's lamp is characteristic of erythrasma?

Which finding on Wood's lamp is characteristic of erythrasma?

• A. Coral pink fluorescence
• B. Blue fluorescence
• C. No fluorescence
• D. Green fluorescence

Answer: (A)

Erythrasma is caused by Corynebacterium minutissimum, and under Wood's lamp it produces porphyrins that glow with a coral pink (coral red) fluoresence in the affected intertriginous areas. This distinctive shine helps distinguish it from other causes of itchy or scaly intertriginous rashes, such as tinea versicolor (which typically shows yellow-gold fluorescence) or bacterial/fungal infections that may not fluoresce or glow a different color. The coral pink signal is the hallmark, directing you toward erythrasma when you see it.

Erythrasma is caused by Corynebacterium minutissimum, and under Wood's lamp it produces porphyrins that glow with a coral pink (coral red) fluoresence in the affected intertriginous areas. This distinctive shine helps distinguish it from other causes of itchy or scaly intertriginous rashes, such as tinea versicolor (which typically shows yellow-gold fluorescence) or bacterial/fungal infections that may not fluoresce or glow a different color. The coral pink signal is the hallmark, directing you toward erythrasma when you see it.