[Gonorrhea and pustules of the hands]

Two similar cases of disseminated infection by Neisseria gonorrhoeae were observed at the same time. The patients presented with fever, arthralgia, tenosynovitis, cutaneous pustules of the extremities. In one case, N. gonorrhoeae has been recovered from vaginal discharge; in the other, bacteriological investigations failed. From a review of the literature, it appears that: (1) acral vesiculo-pustular lesions and tenosynovitis represent the most suggestive signs of the disease; (2) it is obviously important to repeat the bacteriological investigations; (3) biological data, included serology, are useless. However, immunofluorescence techniques might detect altered germs in the skin.