title: Erythema caused by a localised skin infection with Arthrobacter mysorens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skin erythemas of unknown origin are a frequent reason for consulting the general practitioner or dermatologist.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we report a case of an erythema resembling the erythema migrans manifestation of Lyme disease, but with atypical symptoms like persistent pruritus. The patient had no history of a recent tick-bite but displayed a positive serology for an advanced stage of Lyme borreliosis, which stood in contrast to the clinical manifestation of erythema migrans as a symptom of early Lyme disease. Three skin swabs and soil samples, collected in the area where the patient possibly acquired the infection, were examined by bacterial and fungal culture methods. Microorganisms were identified by using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing and bioinformatics. The patient and soil isolates were compared by employing RAPD analysis. The serum samples of the patient were examined by immunoblotting. Arthrobacter mysorens, a soil bacterium, was isolated from the collected skin and soil samples. The identity of both isolates was determined by molecular fingerprinting methods. A. mysorens was proven to be causative for the erythema by direct isolation from the affected skin and a positive serology, thus explaining the atypical appearance of the erythema compared to erythema migrans caused by Borrelia infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infections with A. mysorens might be underreported and microbiological diagnostic techniques should be applied in cases of patients with unclear erythemas, resembling erythema migrans, without a history of tick bites.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Frankfurter Strasse 107, D-35392 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Imirzalioglu
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hain
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: Trinad
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.forename: Eugen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Domann
mesh_terms: D001173:Arthrobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002648:Child; D004890:Erythema / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S