Violaceous discoloration in pneumococcal cellulitis.

Two patients with periobital cellulitis, one of whom also had buccal cellulitis, had violaceous discoloration of the skin. Blood cultures from both patients yielded Streptococcus pneumoniae. Therefore, pneumococci should be considered, in addition to Haemophilus influenzae, as possible causes of cellulitis with violaceous or bluish-red discoloration.