title: Mycobacterium marinum infections of the upper extremity.
abstract: A significant number of patients infected with Mycobacterium marinum have been treated at the Curtis National Hand Center in Baltimore, Maryland. The purpose of this study was to review the authors' experience with M. marinum infections of the upper extremity. Twenty-nine patients were identified and their charts were reviewed for all factors related to diagnosis and treatment. The most common presenting symptoms were swelling (n = 25) and pain (n = 14). Only 69 percent of patients could correlate their injury with aquatic activities. The mean time from injury to diagnosis was 5.2 months. Acid-fast bacilli stains were positive in only 22 percent of specimens. The mean number of procedures was 1.75, with the majority being tenosynovectomy. The mean duration of antibiotic therapy was 6 months. Clinical history, pathological evaluation, and a high clinical suspicion can lead to early diagnosis and introduction of antibiotics. The authors' patients were successfully treated with 6 months of antibiotic therapy and early surgical intervention.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Medstar-Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC 20007, USA. hesschristopher@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Bruce S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Wolock
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004977:Ethambutol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000382:microbiology*; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D019910:Mycobacterium marinum; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004977:Ethambutol; D017291:Clarithromycin; D012293:Rifampin