Baboon sydnrome due to inhalation of mercury in childhood

Baboon syndrome is a peculiar form of intertriginous cutaneous eruption located at buttocks, genitalia, and thighs; it has always been considered a systemic contact dermatitis provoked by several allergens, such as ampicillin, nickel, and mercury. We report a case of a child which developed a baboon syndrome after a thermometer rupture and inhalation of mercury fumes. In the manuscript we describe the possible pathogenetic mechanisms and point out our attention on the increasing rarity of cutaneous eruption in childhood, related to the prohibition to produce mercury-functioning instruments, such as thermometers, barometers, sphygmomanometers.