| Autor: |
Torres JR; Infectology Section, Tropical Medicine Institute, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela., Leopoldo Códova G; Infectology Section, Tropical Medicine Institute, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela., Castro JS; Infectology Section, Tropical Medicine Institute, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela., Rodríguez L; Infectious Diseases Service, Centro Médico Docente La Trinidad, Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela., Saravia V; Infectology Section, Tropical Medicine Institute, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela., Arvelaez J; Clínica RESCARVEN de Chuao, Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela., Ríos-Fabra A; Policlínica Metropolitana, Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela., Longhi MA; Policlínica Metropolitana, Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela., Marcano M; Clínica RESCARVEN de Chuao, Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. |
| Abstrakt: |
A large epidemic of Chikungunya fever currently affects the Caribbean, Central and South America. Despite a high number of reported cases, little is known on the occurrence of severe clinical complications. We describe four Venezuelan patients with a severe and/or lethal course who exhibit unusual manifestations of the disease. Case 1 describes a 75 year-old man with rapid onset of septic shock and multi-organ failure. Cases 2 and 3 describe two patients with rapid aggressive clinical course who developed shock, severe purpuric lesions and a distinct area large of necrosis in the nasal region. Case 4 depicts a splenectomized woman with shock, generalized purpuric lesions, bullous dermatosis and acronecrosis of an upper limb. Chikungunya fever in the Western hemisphere may also associate with atypical and severe manifestations. Some patients experience a life-threatening, aggressive clinical course, with rapid deterioration and death due to multisystem failure. |
