title: 2011: the scurvy Odyssey.
abstract: The authors report the case of a 50-year-old alcoholic man with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, who presented to the emergency department with fever and exuberant ecchymoses and petechiae on both legs. After a careful examination and laboratory assessment, the not-so-obvious hypothesis of scurvy was disclosed. Simply with vitamin C replacement and nutritional advice, a dramatic improvement in his condition was observed. In modern societies, a generalised access to food renders scurvy as a rare disease, often misdiagnosed. A multidisciplinary approach is emphasised as the key to a more simple differential diagnosis, avoiding unnecessary exams and preventing serious complications, or even death, if left untreated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine 2, Hospital Curry Cabral, Lisbon, Portugal. verarodber@gmail.com
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Bernardino
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mendes-Bastos
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Noronha
authors.forename: Celia Coelho
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Henriques
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004438:Ecchymosis / Q000209:etiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011693:Purpura / Q000209:etiology; D012614:Scurvy / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*