A prospective study of fever with rash in adults
Amita Himanshu Sutaria, Kirankumar Solanki, Ashma Sirajbhai Surani, Zubiyah Zafaraalam ShaikhObjectives:
To identify the causes of fever with rash in adults and analyze their epidemiological spectrum.
Material and Methods:
This two-year prospective observational study included 200 adults (>18 years) presenting with fever and rash at the dermatology department of B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad. After informed consent, demographic data, clinical history, photographs, and detailed dermatologic and systemic examinations were recorded.
Results:
Of 200 patients, 112(56%) were males and 88(44%) females, with a mean age of 34.4 years. Maculopapular rash was most common (35%), followed by diffuse erythematous rash with desquamation (19%), petechial/purpuric rash (17%), vesiculobullous rash (12%), nodular rash (10%), and urticarial rash (7%). Infections were the leading cause (57.5%), with drug reactions accounting for 19.5%, and the rest (23%) were attributed to less common etiologies like Acute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, urticarial vasculitis, and Sweet’s syndrome. Common symptoms include headache, joint pain, and malaise. Viral infections showed lymphopenia (60.56%), bacterial infections neutrophilia (68.51%), and drug reactions eosinophilia (72.55%). Diagnostic tests correlated well with clinical and routine laboratory findings.
Conclusion:
Fever with rash in adults requires a structured diagnostic approach. Careful clinical evaluation with basic tests such as complete blood count (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) is cost-effective and useful.