Papular-purpuric Gloves and Socks Syndrome in a 46-year-old Man with Mycoplasma pneumoniae Respiratory Disease

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a cause of upper and lower respiratory disease, predominantly in children and young. Dermatologic manifestations of the infection occur in 1-5% of the cases, most commonly as Stevens–Johnson Syndrome and Erythema Multiforme. We present a 46-year-old previously healthy man heavy smoker, who was admitted due to fatigue, chest pain, cough, and fever that appeared seven days earlier. He was diagnosed pleuro-pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Apart from bicytopenia as toxic extrapulmonary manifestation of the infection, he developed a relatively novel pruritic dermatosis - papular-purpuric gloves and socks syndrome (PPGSS). Under antibiotic treatment, disease had favorable outcome. In the cases of PPGSS without known etiologic agent, testing for Mycoplasma pneumoniae might be useful to reveal etiology of the syndrome, especially in adult subjects. Some of the known constitutional symptoms of PPGSS such as fever and fatigue, may also belong to the co-existing viral or bacterial infection.  J Microbiol Infect Dis 2018; 8(4):158-161

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