David L. Kaplan, MD

Articles by David L. Kaplan, MD

A middle-aged woman had had alow-grade fever, sore throat, and malaisefor 1 week. Her physician prescribedamoxicillin. Three days afterstarting the medication, an asymptomaticerythematous and petechialeruption developed over the patient’sentire body.

A 49-year-old woman was admitted tothe hospital with a high fever ofabrupt onset, rigor, headache, myalgias,and profound prostration. Hertemperature was 41ºC (105.8ºF);blood pressure, 60/40 mm Hg; respirationrate, 30 breaths per minute;and pulse rate, 130 beats per minute.

A pruritic, erythematous rash developed in a 6-year-oldboy over 5 days. The rash erupted in crops; the lesions appearedinitially as rose-colored macules, progressed rapidlyto papules and vesicles, and finally crusted (A). The distributionof the lesions-with the greatest concentrationon the trunk-is typical of chickenpox.

A 30-year-old man presented with a few-day history of aviral prodrome, including a low-grade fever, mild headache,muscle and joint aches, and malaise, accompaniedby a vesiculopapular rash. The mildly pruritic eruptionbegan on the head and neck and progressed within 36hours to the trunk and proximal extremities; the palmsand soles were spared.