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

More general terms

• pathogen

Additional terms

• skin infection