Purpura fulminans secondary to respiratory infection

Abstract

Purpura fulminans features the sudden onset of large rapidly-spreading areas of hemorrhagic skin necrosis. This is followed by a disseminated intravascular coagulopathy with consecutive consumption of anticoagulant factors. Patients with severe disease in whom therapy is delayed often develop shock with a poor prognosis.The mortality rate is about 30-40%. An elderly women developed purpura fulminans after a respiratory infection. Prompt diagnosis before shock symptoms had started was instrumental in producing a favorable clinical course.