Authors: Ahlam Alzahrani , Abdullah Albadri , Sultan Alfaer , Mawaddah Tallab , Mohammed K. Alghamdi , Hamza Alamoudi

Abstract

Background: Dengue fever (DF) is caused by the dengue virus, which manifests with systemic features such as fever, malaise, and headache. More than 50% of cases present with a variety of skin lesions.
Case Presentation: We present a series of three cases that presented to the clinic with fever associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Other systematic reviews were unremarkable. The patients subsequently developed a pruritic skin rash characterized by diffuse confluent erythema with petechiae and rounded islands of sparing. After excluding alternative etiologies such as malaria, HIV, and hepatitis C, all three patients were diagnosed with DF.
Conclusion: This case series highlights the presence of a characteristic rash in DF. We emphasize the clinical description of this cutaneous manifestation, which is not well-described in previous literature. Although cutaneous manifestations are common in dengue, identifying these specific rash patterns can contribute to accurate and early diagnosis. Patients presenting with fever and rashes in an endemic area should be suspected of having DF.

Keywords: Dengue fever, skin rash, dengue rash, case series, case report.