Study of skin lesions in 221 patients of meningococcal disease.

During a meningococcal outbreak, 221 patients were studied. A skin rash was present in 78 (35.3%) patients. Twenty one (11.3%) patients had a frankly purpuric rash, involving mainly the extremities and the remaining had a generalised macular or petechial lesions. Extensive purpuric lesions, involving mainly the extremities were associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), shock and a fatal outcome. This peripherally distributed rash may be used as a clinical substitute for the laboratory tests that confirm DIC.