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Dermatology Online Journal

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Purpura fulminans secondary to toxic shock syndrome induced by Group A Streptococcal bacteremia in an adult patient

Abstract

Purpura fulminans is a rare life-threatening presentation of disseminated intravascular congestion that presents with widespread purpura and skin necrosis secondary to considerable tissue thrombosis. It usually occurs in pediatric patients and can have various causes with acute infection being the most common. Common infectious triggers include Neisseria and Streptococcus pneumoniae as well as varicella. Our report describes a generally healthy adult patient who developed purpura fulminans in the setting of Group A Streptococcus bacteremia. Group A Streptococcus is a rare cause of purpura fulminans in adult patients with only a few documented cases reported in the literature.