Purpuric contact dermatitis from Agave americana

Abstract

Background Irritant papulovesicular dermatitis after cutaneous exposure to the sap of Agave Americana, which contains chemical irritants such as calcium oxalate and saponins, is well known, but purpuric dermatitis is rare in such cases. Case report We report the case of a 52 year-old man with purpuric dermatitis of the legs mimicking purpura vasculitis that appeared a few hours after he had cut down a large Agave with a chain-saw. Discussion Our case is quite similar to three other cases found in the literature. In all four cases the patients had been using machines causing projections of plant fragments (chain-saw, trimmer). This may have promoted vascular damage, either by direct traumatism or by embedding oxalate crystals and saponins in the skin close to small vessels.