A mysterious eruption in winter within the local community

Abstract

Chilblain should be a readily available diagnosis amongst family physicians. But with recent changes in the climate and more subtle winters in Hong Kong, chilblain has become more elusive and doctors here have less confidence in its immediate diagnosis. This report depicts the diagnostic challenges and perplexities faced by our doctors in dealing with a case of chilblain. More importantly, it highlights the underlying cause of their confusion which is not out of their microscopic ignorance but rather the changes in disease patterns relating to the macroscopic environment.