title: Bumble Foot: A Rare Presentation of a Fusobacterium varium Infection of the Heel Pad in a Healthy Female.
abstract: Fusobacterium infection is common in herd animals and caged birds; the infection is typically referred to as "bumble foot" or "foot rot." These are opportunistic anaerobic bacteria that cause abscesses in the feet of animals that have developed inflammation in the foot pad secondary to the terrain. In humans, F. varium is known to cause abscesses associated with the oropharynx and gastrointestinal tract, also known as Lemierre's disease. The present study reports the case of a rare presentation of a F. varium soft tissue infection of the heel pad in a healthy young female with no associated oropharynx or gastrointestinal abscesses. Therefore, her presentation and disease course were similar to that described in herd animals. The patient was treated with 3 weeks of intravenous antibiotics, incision and drainage, and a gracilis free flap to the weightbearing surface of the right heel.
authors.affiliation: Second Year Podiatric Resident, Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency Program, Highlands-Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center, Denver, CO.
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stransky
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Consultants of Denver, Presbyterian/St. Luke's Hospital, Denver, CO; Associate Clinical Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO.
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.affiliation: Surgeon, Department of Plastic Surgery, Presbyterian/St. Luke's Hospital, Denver, CO.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Director of Research, Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency Program, Highlands-Presbyterian/St. Luke's Hospital, Denver, CO.
authors.forename: Dustin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kruse
authors.affiliation: Residency Director, Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency Program, Highlands-Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center, Denver, CO. Electronic address: pstonehighlandspslresidency@comcast.net.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003646:Debridement / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005673:Fusobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005674:Fusobacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006365:Heel / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D035583:Rare Diseases; D012086:Reoperation / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Lemierre's disease; anaerobic infection; calcaneus; fasciitis; free flap; pododermatitis