Commentary: Purpuric skin eruption in an Illicit drug User: Levamisole-Induced vasculitis

Purpuric skin eruption in an illicit drug user: Levamisole-induced vasculitis.

© 2017 Kristen Whitworth. Cavalieri. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The first case connecting vasculitis to levamisole adulterated cocaine was published in 2010. Since that time, there have been numerous case reports of complications arising from levamisole contaminated cocaine. A case report in 2011 suggested the use o...

Levamisole-Induced Vasculitis

Levamisole-adulterated Cocaine Induced Vasculitis with Skin Ulcerations

CASE REPORT A 40-year-old man with Hepatitis C and a history of cocaine abuse presented with multiple stages of painful rashes on his extremities and ears. On examination, the patient had several areas of purpuric macules and retiform purpura to his legs and ears (Figures 1 and 2), as well as large ulcerations with erythematous borders on bilateral lower extremities (Figure 3). Laboratory studi...

Levamisole tainted cocaine induced vasculitis

Levamisole has been implicated in the vasculitis and aganulocytosis. It has been pulled from the United States market for human use. Due to its euphoric and bulking properties, it has been . used as a bulking agent in cocaine. We hereby present a case of a 56-year-old Hispanic male, who developed vasculitis due to cocaine use adulterated with levamisole.

Levamisole-induced occlusive necrotising vasculitis in cocaine abusers: an unusual cause of skin necrosis and neutropenia.

We present three cases describing the various skin manifestations of presumed levamisole-contaminated cocaine use. Antibody-mediated vasculitis and neutropenia were consistent findings in these cases and repeat exposure resulted in distinct dermatologic complications. This phenomenon of levamisole-induced vasculitis and neutropenia is being increasingly described and has characteristic wound ma...