Bullous Skin Diseases: Classical Types of Autoimmune Diseases

Abstract

The prototypic bullous skin diseases, pemphigus vulgaris, pemphigus foliaceus, and bullous pemphigoid, are characterized by the blister formation in the skin and/or oral mucosa in combination with circulating and deposited autoantibodies reactive with (hemi)desmosomes. Koch’s postulates, adapted for autoimmune diseases, were applied on these skin diseases. It appears that all adapted Koch’s postulates are fulfilled, and, therefore, these bullous skin diseases are to be considered classical autoimmune diseases within the wide and expanding spectrum of autoimmune diseases.