Staphylococcal scarlet fever as a complication of contact burns

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus causes a variety of localized and invasive suppurative infections and 3 toxin-mediated syndromes: staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) and food poisoning1 . Staphylococcal scarlet fever is related to STSS and SSSS toxins. In fact, two different syndromes each related to a type of toxin could be described which were attenuated forms of these entities. The course of this pathology is usually self-limiting, but can rapidly progress to severe life-threatening disease. An understanding of this set of pathologies allows us to approach the patient in a timely manner, maintaining vigilance and if necessary intervening to prevent the advent of STSS that can lead to multiple organ failure and even death. This review is about a case treated at the burn unit of the Hospital del Niño Dr. José Renán Esquivel (HDNJRE) in May 2023 with contact burn complicated by staphylococcal scarlet fever.