Bullae in a patient with toxic shock syndrome

A case of toxic shock syndrome presenting with macular erythema and subepidermal bullae is described. The patient meets the Centers for Disease Control criteria for toxic shock syndrome. A biopsy of the bullae and macular erythema revealed, respectively, subepidermal bullae and superficial perivascular infiltration. This case demonstrates the potential difficulty in differentiating between toxic shock syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.