[Mucosynechial conjunctivitis and bilateral corneal ulcers in Lyell's syndrome]

The patient, aged 44, presented fever and chills with altered general condition and received an analgesic-antipyretic treatment with salicylic acid and pyrazolon derivatives. A bullous eruption that followed was labelled incipient Lyell syndrome. Both cornea presented ulcers with a tendency to perforation and mucosynechial conjunctivitis. Pathogenic Staphylococcus albus was isolated from the conjunctival secretion. The ocular phenomena improved under mydriatic treatment and trophic medication. Lyell's syndrome is the result of a severe medicamentous toxemia. Stress is laid on the role of Staphylococcus aureus, phage type 71, in the process of epidermal necrosis with detachment of the epithelium and ulceration of the mucosa.