Levamisole-Induced Vasculitis

Let the good times roll – unless, of course, those good times are cut with levamisole.

This short case report from my good friends across the street at Baylor showcases a couple lovely pictures of the purpuric and necrotizing skin lesions associated with the anti-helminth levamisole – which, for some reason, is an increasingly popular additive to cocaine.  They are quite distressing and usually present following several courses of failed outpatient antibiotics.

I don’t think I specifically ever saw the exact patient these authors report upon, but it’s not a unique presentation in our county healthcare system.  This article is open-access for all to view without an institutional subscription.

“Levamisole-adulterated Cocaine Induced Vasculitis with Skin Ulcerations”
http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/4rd630zt