Idiopathic peripheral gangrene in Nigeria.

A severe, acutely evolving peripheral gangrene of unknown etiology has been reported sporadically from different parts of Africa. This case report describes such a case of fulminant gangrene of the extremities following a febrile diarrheal illness associated with abdominal pain, polyarthropathy, and altered hemostatic function in a black adolescent male. A model of autoimmune causation for this uncommon clinical syndrome is proposed with guidelines for therapy.