Case presentation

A 32-year-old primary school teacher presents to the accident and emergency department with fever associated with a painful and itchy blistering eruption. The lesions involve her trunk, arms, legs, face and scalp (Figure). The illness started with a generalised maculopapular eruption three days ago and progressed rapidly, with lesions cropping every few hours. She feels fatigued and mildly nauseated but is not significantly unwell.