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A syndromic rash in patients attending methadone clinics in New South Wales
Author(s) -
Currie Jon N,
Chien Jimmy,
Snell Lisa,
Cluff Margaret,
Scrivener Karen,
Wallman Lucinda,
Benson Elizabeth M
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2005.tb06579.x
Subject(s) - service (business) , medicine , health services , family medicine , library science , sociology , population , environmental health , business , marketing , computer science
We report an outbreak of a "rash" syndrome in patients attending methadone clinics in New South Wales. It presents with a pruritic, exanthematous or purpuric rash involving the trunk, limbs, palms and soles, which develops over a week and proceeds in most patients to desquamation (mainly of palms and soles) persisting for 3-4 weeks. Mucosae are not involved, and patients are generally systemically well. To date, the rash has affected 22% of 316 patients attending one methadone clinic in western Sydney, as well as patients in clinics elsewhere in Sydney and rural NSW. The aetiology is as yet unknown.