What are the differential diagnoses for a patient presenting with a stinging rash?

Differential Diagnoses for Stinging Rash

A stinging rash most commonly represents insect bite reactions, urticaria (hives), or contact dermatitis, but you must immediately rule out life-threatening conditions like meningococcemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and anaphylaxis before considering benign etiologies.

Immediate Life-Threatening Differentials to Exclude First

Systemic Infections with Rash

• Rocky Mountain spotted fever: Look for fever, headache, and maculopapular rash starting on ankles/wrists that becomes petechial and spreads centrally, including palms and soles by day 5-6 1
• Meningococcemia: Presents with rapidly progressive maculopapular rash evolving to petechiae, progressing faster than RMSF 1
• Ehrlichiosis: Fever with rash in approximately 30% of adults and 60% of children, appearing median 5 days after illness onset 1

Anaphylaxis/Systemic Allergic Reaction

• Insect sting anaphylaxis: Urticaria, angioedema, respiratory distress (bronchospasm, laryngeal edema), hypotension, gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), or neurological symptoms (seizures) 1
• Administer epinephrine 0.3-0.5 mg intramuscularly in anterolateral thigh immediately if any systemic symptoms present 2, 3
• Antihistamines and corticosteroids are NOT substitutes for epinephrine 2

Common Non-Life-Threatening Differentials

Insect Bite Reactions

Local reactions (most common):

• Redness, swelling, itching, and stinging pain at bite site 1
• Fire ant stings: Pathognomonic sterile pseudopustules developing within 24 hours in circular pattern 2, 4
• Scorpion stings: Local pain and stinging, majority cause only local symptoms in North America 3

Large local reactions:

• Swelling >10 cm diameter contiguous to sting site 1, 4
• Increase in size for 24-48 hours, take 5-10 days to resolve 1
• IgE-mediated allergic inflammation, NOT infection 2, 4

Urticaria (Hives)

Ordinary urticaria:

• Short-lived itchy weals appearing spontaneously anywhere on body with or without angioedema 1
• Acute (<6 weeks) or chronic (≥6 weeks of continuous activity) 1
• Affects approximately 1% of general population 5

Physical urticarias (reproducibly triggered):

• Cholinergic urticaria: Induced by stimulus for sweating (exercise, heat, emotional stress) 1
• Cold contact urticaria: Triggered by cold exposure 1
• Symptomatic dermographism: Mechanical pressure/stroking induces weals 1
• Solar urticaria: Sun exposure triggers reaction 1
• Aquagenic urticaria: Water contact induces weals 1

Contact Dermatitis

• Contact urticaria: Occurs only when eliciting substance absorbed percutaneously or through mucous membranes 1
• Can be allergic or chemical-induced 1

Key Clinical Features to Distinguish Differentials

Distribution Pattern

• Palms and soles involvement: Consider RMSF (late finding), ehrlichiosis (rare), meningococcemia, secondary syphilis, drug reactions, or enteroviral infections 1
• Localized to contact area: Contact urticaria or localized insect bite reaction 1
• Generalized: Systemic infection, drug reaction, or ordinary urticaria 6, 7

Morphology

• Petechial/purpuric: RMSF, meningococcemia, vasculitis 1, 8
• Maculopapular: Early RMSF, viral exanthems, drug reactions 1, 8
• Wheals (urticaria): Allergic reactions, physical urticarias 1
• Vesiculopapular: Fire ant stings, herpes infections 2, 8

Timing and Progression

• Rapid onset with fever: Consider meningococcemia, RMSF, or systemic infection 1, 9
• Rash 2-4 days after fever onset: RMSF 1
• Pseudopustules within 24 hours: Fire ant stings 2, 4
• Transient wheals (<24 hours): Urticaria 1

Associated Symptoms

• Fever + headache + myalgia: RMSF, ehrlichiosis, viral infections 1
• Pruritus without fever: Urticaria, contact dermatitis 1
• Stinging/burning pain: Insect bites, contact reactions 1, 3

Critical Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do NOT misdiagnose allergic swelling from insect bites as cellulitis – this leads to unnecessary antibiotic use; most early swelling is IgE-mediated inflammation, not infection 2, 4
• Do NOT wait for classic triad (fever, rash, tick bite) before considering RMSF – only minority present with all three initially 1
• Do NOT delay epinephrine if any systemic symptoms present – antihistamines alone are inadequate for anaphylaxis 2, 3
• Do NOT prescribe antibiotics for insect bite swelling unless clear signs of secondary infection: progressive redness, increasing pain, purulent discharge, fever, warmth, and tenderness 2, 4

Additional Differentials to Consider

• Drug hypersensitivity reactions: Can present with maculopapular rash and palm/sole involvement 1
• Urticarial vasculitis: Defined by vasculitis on skin biopsy, painful rather than pruritic lesions 1
• Viral exanthems: Roseola, parvovirus B19, enteroviral infections, Epstein-Barr virus 1, 6
• Autoimmune conditions: Chronic autoimmune urticaria (>50% have mast cell-activating IgE/IgG autoantibodies) 5
• Toxic shock syndrome: Erythematous rash with systemic toxicity 1