Purpura fulminans
Purpura Fulminans
Purpura fulminans (/pʊrˈpjʊərə fʊlˈmɪnæns/) is a severe, often fatal, disorder which involves thrombocytopenia (a low platelet count), coagulopathy (a bleeding disorder), and skin necrosis (death of skin tissue). It is usually a complication of a bacterial infection, but can also be caused by certain genetic disorders.
Etymology
The term "purpura" comes from the Latin word for "purple", referring to the color of the skin lesions. "Fulminans" is Latin for "striking like lightning", indicating the sudden and severe onset of the condition.
Symptoms
Symptoms of purpura fulminans include:
- Skin rash that rapidly turns into purpura (purple-colored spots)
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- Low blood pressure
Causes
Purpura fulminans is usually caused by a severe bacterial infection, such as meningococcemia or pneumococcal sepsis. It can also be caused by certain genetic disorders, such as protein C deficiency or protein S deficiency.
Treatment
Treatment for purpura fulminans typically involves antibiotics to treat the underlying infection, blood transfusions to replace lost blood, and skin grafting for areas of skin necrosis.
See also
- Thrombocytopenia
- Coagulopathy
- Skin necrosis
- Meningococcemia
- Pneumococcal sepsis
- Protein C deficiency
- Protein S deficiency
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Purpura fulminans
- Wikipedia's article - Purpura fulminans
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