Drinking Glass Test for a Deadly Disease

Meningococcal septicemia can bedeadly if not diagnosed and treatedearly. One of the first signs of the infectionusually is a rash, which typicallyappears on the extremities andpresents as a petechial, nonblanchingexanthem. This rash can be quicklyconfirmed by pressing a drinkingglass against the involved skin. If therash does not fade when the glass isremoved, it is highly likely that thepatient has meningococcemia, inwhich case immediate treatment withintravenous antibiotics is required.

-Gopi Rana-Mukkavilli, MD
   New York