A possible new cause of spa bath folliculitis: Aeromonas hydrophila.
A 34-year-old man presented with a pubic eruption of 4 weeks duration, affecting both himself and his partner. He had been treated unsuccessfully with intravenous and oral dicloxacillin. The eruption was a severely inflammatory folliculitis, with haemo-serous exudate and marked oedema. A clinical diagnosis of herpes simplex virus folliculitis was disproved when routine bacteriology isolated Aeromonas hydrophila and multiple viral polymerase chain reaction studies were negative. Histology demonstrated a chronic folliculitis with no organisms present. Both he and his partner were treated with oral ciprofloxacin 500 mg bd for 6 weeks with clinical clearance of infection, but both developed a scarring alopecia. Infection was attributed to possible contamination of a poorly maintained home spa bath with A. hydrophila.
Mulholland
Adrian
A
Department of Dermatology, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia. aido1@mac.com
Yong-Gee
Simon
S
D000328:Adult; D016980:Aeromonas hydrophila / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000505:Alopecia / Q000209:etiology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005374:Filtration; D005499:Folliculitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D014871:Water Microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin