Café-au-lait spots on the skin of an infant usually prompt screening for neurofibromatosis, which is associated with these characteristic light brown skin patches, unlike other conditions like albinism or vitiligo.
When assessing an infant with café-au-lait spots, the disease that should be ruled out is neurofibromatosis. Café-au-lait spots are typically light brown skin patches, and their presence is a common sign of neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that may affect skin pigmentation and cause growth of benign tumors along nerves. It is essential not to confuse these spots with similar skin conditions like vitiligo or albinism, which involve melanin disorders but do not predispose individuals to the same health complications as neurofibromatosis.
Albinism is a genetic condition causing a complete or partial lack of melanin pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes, leading to very pale skin and increased sensitivity to UV radiation. On the other hand, vitiligo is characterized by patches of skin losing melanin. Other skin disorders, like psoriasis or atopic dermatitis, do not typically present through café-au-lait spots but may involve other symptoms such as redness and itching.
So, amongst the options provided, neurofibromatosis is the condition most commonly associated with café-au-lait spots and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient presenting with these markings.