An unusually severe form of pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis ac
uta (PLEVA) with a fatal outcome in an 82-year-old woman is reported.
After a period of a mild eruption, extensive polymorphous, papular and
ulcerohemorrhagic skin lesions developed, associated with intermitten
t high temperature and constitutional symptoms. Skin biopsies showed t
he typical histopathological changes of PLEVA. Early recognition of th
is severe variant of PLEVA is important, since the fulminating course
can lead to death.