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Miliaria rubra — SCE Dermatology MCQ

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HardGeneral dermatology & dermatology in primary health careMiliaria rubraSCE Dermatology

A 32-year-old man develops prickly erythematous papules on the trunk during a humid heatwave after wearing occlusive protective clothing at work. He is afebrile and systemically well. The eruption settles after time in a cool environment. What is the most likely diagnosis?

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Correct answer: B — Miliaria rubra

The best answer is “Miliaria rubra”. The diagnosis follows the defining morphology, distribution, histopathology and time course; management changes when red flags, scarring, systemic disease or malignancy risk are present. The alternatives “Folliculitis”, “Urticaria”, “Grover disease”, “Viral exanthem” are clinically adjacent possibilities, but they do not fit the defining morphology, distribution, histopathology, risk signal or management sequence in this stem.

Reference: British Association of Dermatologists clinical resources: https://www.bad.org.uk/