Green staining of clothing: a signal for pseudomonal infection.

ABSTRACT

Anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome (AHS) is a nondose-related idiosyncratic reaction to aromatic antiepileptic drugs and is a cause of drug discontinuation. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram-negative bacillus that can produce infections in many different organs, including the skin and soft tissue. We report a patient with erythroderma and AHS who developed a pseudomonal infection. Green staining of the underwear served as a diagnostic clue for severe P aeruginosa infection that had developed because of a local flexural skin infection that spread due to a damaged skin barrier. Inspection of the patient's clothes may give information about any exudate from the skin and should be done routinely as part of the physical examination.