Sporotrichoid atypical cutaneous infection caused by Mycobacterium marinum.
A case of a sporotrichoid cutaneous infection caused by Mycobacterium marinum is reported. A 53- year-old male patient presented with red, partly purulent nodular lesions on the back of his left hand, forearm, and upper medial arm that had developed consecutively during the past 4 weeks. A mycobacterial infection with M. marinum was confirmed by molecular methods in a lesional skin biopsy. The patient was treated systemically with rifampicin (750 mg/day) and clarithromycine (1,000 mg/day), and topically with sulmycin (gentamicin sulfate). After 12 weeks of treatment the nodules regressed, leaving behind erythematous patches. M. marinum is a waterborne mycobacterium that commonly infects fish and amphibians worldwide. Transmissions to humans occur occasionally, in most cases as a granulomatous infection localized to the skin, typically following minor trauma to the hands. For this reason, infections are especially common among aquarium keepers.
Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Dresden, Germany. frauketigges@web.de
Frauke
F
Tigges
Andrea
A
Bauer
Kristina
K
Hochauf
Michael
M
Meurer
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D019910:Mycobacterium marinum; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents