Abstract:

Objective To investigate the appearance and characteristics of skin rashes in patients suffering from dengue fever. Methods Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed for 126 hospitalized patients with dengue fever collected from August to October, 2007. Results Out of 126 patients with dengue fever, 69.0% （87/126） had skin rashes, which usually developed from day 1 and 11 after fever. About 59.7% （52/87） of these patients developed skin rashes from day 3 to 7 after fever. No eruption order was evidenced in 59 （67.8%） patients. Skin rashes were located in both the trunk and limbs in 38 （43.7%） patients, and only in the limbs in 30 （34.5%） patients. The incidence rates of maculae, maculopapules, papules, hemorrhagic rash and mixed eruptions were 14.9% （13/87）, 14.9% （13/87）, 18.4% （16/87）, 26.4% （23/87） and 21.8% （19/87）, respectively. Conclusions Most patients with dengue fever developed skin rashes from day 3 to 7 after fever. Limbs and trunk are predilection sites of skin rashes in dengue fever. Skin rashes in dengue fever is complex, including maculae, papules, hemorrhagic rashes, vesicles and mixed rashes.