title: Upper extremity infections following common carp fish (cyprinus carpio) handling.
abstract: Upper extremity infection caused by aquatic pathogens on fish is a well recognized clinical entity. We report five consecutive cases of upper extremity infections, ranging from a simple localized reaction to a life-threatening systemic illness, which developed after handling common carp fish (Cyprinus carpio). In four cases, infection occurred following a penetrating injury by either the bones or the fin spines of the fish. Vibrio vulnificus was isolated from wound aspirates in four cases. Early broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy is mandatory. Deterioration in the clinical condition or a poor response to conservative treatment requires a meticulous surgical drainage and excision of both infected and necrotic tissues.
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Unit of the Rambam Medical Centre and the Units of Clinical Infectious Diseases and Hand Surgery of the BNEI-ZION Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calif
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pick
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dreyfuss
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stahl
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002347:Carps / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014733:Vibrio / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy