title: Aquarium-borne Mycobacterium marinum skin infection. Report of 15 cases and review of the literature.
abstract: Mycobacterium marinum is a non-tuberculous photochromogenic mycobacterium, commonly responsible for fish and amphibious infections world-wide. Contagion in humans typically follows minor hand trauma from aquarium keeping and manifests as a granulomatous infection of the skin. Dissemination is rare and almost exclusive to immunosuppressed hosts. 15 cases of M. marinum fish tank related infection are hereby reported. The site of infection was the upper limbs in all cases. 3 patients presented a single papulo-verrucous lesion, while the remaining 12 showed a sporotrichoid clinical pattern. Diagnosis was reached by history and clinical examination and further supported by one or more of the following criteria: histology, culture, acid fast bacilli identification from histologic specimen and PCR. 2 to 3 months minocycline treatment showed efficacy in 13 individuals, another case was treated with rifampicin-isoniazid association, yet another showed spontaneous regression over a 3 month period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science and Human Oncology Section of Dermatology.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bonamonte
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Vito
authors.forename: Michelangelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vestita
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delvecchio
authors.forename: Luigi Davide
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Ranieri
authors.forename: Marilina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santantonio
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Angelini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008911:Minocycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D019910:Mycobacterium marinum; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D034941:Upper Extremity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008911:Minocycline; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin