What is epidermolysis bullosa acquisita?

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita is an autoimmune bullous disease with autoantibodies directed against type VII collagen in the basement membrane zone. In this disease, vesicles and bullae follow trauma and tend to occur on areas with frictional trauma, such as the fingers, knees, and elbows. Mucosal lesions are common. As with bullous SLE, diagnosis is by clinical findings, routine histology, direct immunofluorescence, indirect immunofluorescence, and splitskin indirect immunofluorescence testing.

Lehman JS, Camilleri MJ, Gibson LE: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita: concise review and practical considerations, Int J Dermatol 48:227–235, 2009.