The ABC of community emergency care 8 MANAGEMENT OF ALLERGY, RASHES, AND ITCHING

Correspondence to: Dr M Langran, Aviemore Health Centre, Muirton, Aviemore PH22 1SY, UK; [email protected] _________________________ T he vast majority of skin problems that present in the community are minor in nature. Unfortunately, very occasionally, the development of seemingly innocuous symptoms such as a rash and/or itching can be the presenting symptoms of a life threatening condition— namely anaphylaxis or meningococcal septicaemia. While other clinical conditions can mimic both anaphylaxis and meningitis, especially in the early stages, there are usually clues in the presentation that help to minimise the delays in administering appropriate therapy. It is not possible in this article to cover all potential causes of a rash and/or itching. Rather, this chapter aims to focus on important conditions that require recognition, treatment, and possible referral in the acute prehospital setting. Box 1 lists the objectives of this article.