Serratia marcescens cellulitis in a patient on hemodialysis.
Serratia marcescens is an infrequent cause of cellulitis with only 5 reported cases. Four of the 5 patients were immunocompromised. Additionally, the cellulitis usually occurred at a site contiguous with a wound. We report a case of S. marcescens cellulitis in a patient with end-stage renal disease on chronic hemodialysis. The initial presentation was a soft tissue infection that progressed to septic shock. Ultimately, the patient responded to antibiotics and surgical debridement of infected tissue. This case serves as a reminder to consider infections due to gram-negative bacilli as a cause of cellulitis in immuno-compromised patients regardless of the presentation.
Bornstein
P F
PF
Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Ill. 60611.
Ditto
A M
AM
Noskin
G A
GA
D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D016868:Serratia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012706:Serratia marcescens; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy