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bacterial skin pathogen
Etiology:
- Aeromonas hydrophilia (cirrhosis, immunocompromised)
- Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus (cirrhosis)
- Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
- Pasteurella multocida
- Capnocytophaga canimorsus
- Bacillus anthracis
- Francisella tularensis
- Burkholderia mallei
- Clostridium perfringens
- Mycobacterium marinum
- Mycobacterium fortuitum
Epidemiology:
- Aeromonas hydrophilia
- fresh water lakes, streams, rivers
- contact with leaches
- Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus
- contact with salt water or brackish water
- contact with raw seafood
- consumption of undercooked shellfish (especially oysters)
- Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
- contact with salt water marine life
- can also infect fresh water fish
- Pasteurella multocida
- contact with cats & dogs
- Capnocytophaga canimorsus
- contact with dogs
- Bacillus anthracis
- contact with infected animal or animal products
- spore-forming organism
- potential agent of bioterrorism
- Francisella tularensis
- tick bites or cat bite
- Burkholderia mallei
- contact with tissue or body fluid from infected horses, mules
- Clostridium perfringens
- surgery or significant trauma
- Mycobacterium marinum
- contact with fresh water or salt water, including fish tanks & swimming pools
- Mycobacterium fortuitum
- exposure to freshwater foot baths or pedicures at nail salons, especially after shaving with a razor or surgery
Clinical manifestations:
- Aeromonas hydrophilia:
- inoculation from minor trauma to skin leads to cellulitis
- necrotizing fasciitis
- Vibrio parahemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus
- cellulitis from direct inoculation into skin
- ingestion leads to bacteremia with secondary skin infection
- hemorrhagic bullae within cellulitis lesions
- Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
- cellulitis generally involving hand or arm handing fish, or shellfish or less commonly poultry or meat
- etiology of erysipeloid
- Pasteurella multocida: cellulitis
- Capnocytophaga canimorsus
- cellulitis & sepsis, especially with hyposplenism
- Bacillus anthracis
- edematous pruritus lesion with central eschar
- Francisella tularensis
- ulcerative glandular syndrome
- ulcerative lesion with central eschar
- localized tender lymphadenopathy
- constitutional symptoms
- Burkholderia mallei
- pustules with suppurative localized lymph nodes
- ulcerative nodules at site of innocultaion
- Clostridium perfringens
- necrotizing infection, myonecrosis, gas gangrene
- Mycobacterium marinum
- lesion often associated with trauma
- generally involves upper extremity
- papular lesions become ulcerative at site of inoculation
- ascending lymphatic spread
- systemic signs generally absent
- Mycobacterium fortuitum
- furuncles
- postoperative wound infection
Related
skin infection
General
pathogen
References
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 18,
American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2018