In humans, ''
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae
''Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae'' is a Gram-positive, catalase-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming, nonacid-fast, nonmotile bacterium. Distributed worldwide, ''E. rhusiopathiae'' is primarily considered an animal pathogen, causing the diseas ...
'' infections most commonly present in a mild
cutaneous
Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation.
Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different de ...
form known as erysipeloid
or fish poisoning. ''E. rhusiopathiae'' can cause an indolent
cellulitis
Cellulitis is usually a bacterial infection involving the inner layers of the skin. It specifically affects the dermis and subcutaneous fat. Signs and symptoms include an area of redness which increases in size over a few days. The borders of t ...
, more commonly in individuals who handle fish and raw meat.
''Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae'' also causes Swine Erysipelas. It is common in domestic pigs and can be transmitted to humans who work with swine. It gains entry typically by abrasions in the hand.
Bacteremia
Bloodstream infections (BSIs), which include bacteremias when the infections are bacterial and fungemias when the infections are fungal, are infections present in the blood. Blood is normally a sterile environment, so the detection of microb ...
and
endocarditis
Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium. It usually involves the heart valves. Other structures that may be involved include the interventricular septum, the chordae tendineae, the mural endocardium, or the ...
are uncommon but serious sequelae.
Due to the rarity of reported human cases, ''E. rhusiopathiae'' infections are frequently misidentified at presentation.
Diagnosis
Violaceous swelling with severe pain but without pus (Which differentiates from pus forming streptococcal and staphylococcal erysipelas)
Erysipeloid of Rosenbach
Erysipeloid of Rosenbach is a cutaneous condition most frequently characterized by a purplish marginated swelling on the hands.
The eponym Rosenbach's disease is in reference to the milder type of the condition and is named after
Friedrich Julius Rosenbach
Friedrich Julius Rosenbach, also known as Anton Julius Friedrich Rosenbach, (16 December 1842 – 6 December 1923) was a German physician and microbiologist. He is credited for differentiating ''Staphylococcus aureus'' and ''Staphylococcus albus'' ...
. Early work on the condition in US fishermen was carried out by Klaunders and colleagues.
Treatment
The treatment of choice is a single dose of
benzathine benzylpenicillin
Benzathine benzylpenicillin, also known as benzathine penicillin G, is an antibiotic medication useful for the treatment of a number of bacterial infections. Specifically it is used to treat strep throat, diphtheria, syphilis, and yaws. It is a ...
given by
intramuscular injection
Intramuscular injection, often abbreviated IM, is the injection of a substance into a muscle. In medicine, it is one of several methods for parenteral administration of medications. Intramuscular injection may be preferred because muscles have ...
, or a five-day to one-week course of either
oral penicillin or intramuscular
procaine benzylpenicillin
Procaine benzylpenicillin also known as penicillin G procaine, is an antibiotic useful for the treatment of a number of bacterial infections. Specifically it is used for syphilis, anthrax, mouth infections, pneumonia, diphtheria, cellulitis, and a ...
.
[ Retrieved on October 28, 2008. Freely available with registration.] Erythromycin
Erythromycin is an antibiotic used for the treatment of a number of bacterial infections. This includes respiratory tract infections, skin infections, chlamydia infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, and syphilis. It may also be used duri ...
or
doxycycline
Doxycycline is a broad-spectrum tetracycline class antibiotic used in the treatment of infections caused by bacteria and certain parasites. It is used to treat bacterial pneumonia, acne, chlamydia infections, Lyme disease, cholera, typhus, an ...
may be given instead to people who are allergic to penicillin. ''E. rhusiopathiae'' is intrinsically
resistant to
vancomycin
Vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic medication used to treat a number of bacterial infections. It is recommended intravenously as a treatment for complicated skin infections, bloodstream infections, endocarditis, bone and joint infections, ...
.
[
]
See also
* Erysipeloid of Rosenbach
In humans, ''Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae'' infections most commonly present in a mild cutaneous form known as erysipeloid or fish poisoning. ''E. rhusiopathiae'' can cause an indolent cellulitis, more commonly in individuals who handle fish and ...
References
External links
{{Bacterial cutaneous infections
Bacterium-related cutaneous conditions
Zoonotic bacterial diseases