Blistering eruption in a Latino migrant farmworker.
Skin rashes are among the most common problems seen by those providing health care to agricultural workers. We present a case report of a migrant farmworker patient with a painful, blistering eruption of the axilla and adjacent skin developing after an insect bite. The possibility of infection was not initially considered, and teledermatology was helpful in making the diagnosis of bullous impetigo. This was important because initial culture confirmation was not obtained and antibiotic treatment had not been initiated. After the consultation, the impetigo was treated by empiric antibiotic coverage. The environmental conditions of migrant farmworkers raise special issues for infectious skin diseases like bullous impetigo. Crowded living conditions, lack of proper sanitary facilities, and poor accessibility to health care increase the risk of occurrence and spread of this disease. With the recent emergence of multi-drug-resistant organisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in community settings, this case report should serve to reinforce the need to recognize the possibility of infection and to obtain culture specimens at the initial visit to better treat and control this infectious skin condition.
Feldman
Steven R
SR
Center for Dermatology Research, Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. sfeldman@wfubmc.edu
Vallejos
Quirina M
QM
Whalley
Lara E
LE
Quandt
Sara A
SA
Brooks
Thanh
T
Cabral
Gonzalo
G
Earp
Patricia
P
Bischoff
Werner
W
Arcury
Thomas A
TA
D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000383:Agriculture; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007169:Impetigo / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012872:Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents