Table 2.

Purpuric rash and fever: comparison of the clinical picture of patients with bacterial etiology and of patients with viral etiology.

No. cases	Bacterial etiology	Viral etiology	Total	P value
	30 (43.5%)	9 (13.0%)	39 (56.5%)
Age
Years	6.24 ± 5.47	2.71 ± 2.88	4.4 ± 4.3
Months (mean ± SD)	72.38 ± 65.35	32.56 ± 34.52	51.14 ± 55.4	0.02
0–1	5 (16.7%)	4 (44.4%)	9 (23.1%)
1–3	6 (20.0%)	3 (33.3%)	9 (23.1%)	0.09
>3	19 (63.3%)	2 (22.2%)	21 (53.8%)
Male	20 (66.7%)	5 (55.6%)	25 (64.1%)	0.54
Female	10 (33.3%)	4 (44.4%)	14 (35.9%)
Jewish	10 (33.3%)	5 (55.5%)	15 (38.5%)	0.24
Bedouin	20 (66.7%)	4 (44.5%)	24 (61.5%)
Season
Winter	8 (26.7%)	4 (44.4%)	12 (30.8%)	0.31
Spring	9 (30%)	2 (22.2%)	11 (28.2%)	0.65
Summer	10 (33.3%)	2 (22.2%)	12 (30.8%)	0.53
Fall	3 (10%)	1 (11.1%)	4 (10.2%)	0.92
Main symptoms
Rhinorrhea	2 (6.7%)	3 (33.3%)	5 (12.8%)	0.04
Cough	2 (6.7%)	1 (11.1%)	3 (7.7%)	0.73
Vomiting	14 (46.7%)	1 (11.1%)	15 (38.5%)	0.11
Diarrhea	6 (20.0%)	1 (11.1%)	7 (18.0%)	0.51
Meningeal signs	5 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (12.8%)	0.18
Joint swelling	2 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (5.1%)	0.30
Maximal temperature (ºC) at admission
38.0 – 39.0	15 (50%)	7 (77.8%)	22 (56.4%)	0.14
>39.0	15 (50%)	2 (22.2%)	17 (43.6%)
Ill appearance at admission	20 (66.7%)	2 (22.2%)	22 (56.4%)	0.03
Diagnosis at dischargea
Meningococcemia	15 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (38.5%)
Rickettsiosis	9 (30.3%)	1 (11.1%)	10 (25.6%)	0.26
Septic shock	5 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (12.8%)	0.19
Fever & purpura (only)	0 (0.0%)	4 (44.5%)	4 (10.2%)	0.001
Meningitis	3 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.7%)	0.3
Tonsillopharyngitis	3 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (7.7%)	1.0
Other	6 (20%)	3 (33.3%)	9 (23.1%)	0.4
Positive lumbar puncture	3/11 (27.3%)	0/1 (0.0%)	3 (7.7%)	1.0

^aSome patients had more than 1 diagnosis.