Cutaneous infections due to atypical mycobacteria

Atypical mycobacteria are environmental saprophytes. Occasionally they may enter human skin through injuries and cause localized infection. Papules, nodules, plaques, ulcers and panniculitis-like lesions are common manifestations. Disseminated infection occurs in immunocompromised patients. Evidence of mycobacterial infection can be obtained by tissue specimens, culture being most important for diagnosis. Because many mycobacteria only grow on special media and at special temperatures it is crucial that clinical suspicion is raised so correct testing is performed. Buruli ulcer caused by M. ulcerans is the most prevalent atypical mycobacteriosis worldwide; its occurrence is restricted to tropical areas. In European countries fish tank granuloma caused by M. marinum is most commonly observed. M. avium-complex, M. kansasii und rapidly growing mycobacteria of M. fortuitum-complex are other atypical mycobacteria that can cause cutaneous infection. Treatment is difficult because many atypical mycobacteria are resistant to common antibiotics.     

Clinical analysis of leg ulcers and gangrene in rheumatoid arthritis

Leg ulcers are often complicated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), however, the etiology is multifactorial. We examined the cases of leg ulceration or gangrene in seven RA patients who were hospitalized over the past 3 years. One patient was diagnosed as having pyoderma gangrenosum. Although vasculitis was suspected in three patients, no histological evidence was obtained from the skin specimens. In these patients, angiography revealed the stenosis or occlusion of digital arteries. In the remaining three patients, leg ulcers were considered to be due to venous insufficiency. Treatment should be chosen depending on the causes of leg ulcers.     

Cutaneous ulcers in a returning traveller: a rare case of imported diphtheria in the UK

We describe a case of cutaneous diphtheria in the UK, presenting as lower leg ulcers in a returning traveller, and discuss the epidemiology, significance and public health implications of this disease and the therapeutic options available. A 65‐year‐old woman presented with a 6‐week history of multiple ulcers appearing on her legs following a holiday in Kenya. Culture of biopsy tissue grew Corynebacterium diphtheriae. A cascade of therapeutic and public health interventions followed, many of which were terminated once the isolate was confirmed as nontoxigenic. Cutaneous diphtheria is a rare, notifiable disease in the UK, but is common in tropical countries, and is most often seen in the West as a traveller's disease. Corynebacteria are common skin commensals, and without appropriate clinical details, laboratories may not recognize C. diphtheriae/Corynebacterium ulcerans. This is likely to have led to under‐reporting and under‐recognition of the condition.     

Cutaneous ulcers revealing diphtheria: A re-emerging disease imported from Indian Ocean countries?

IntroductionDiphtheria due to Corynebacterium diphtheriae (C. diphtheriae) has become rare in developed countries. In France only 10 cases of toxigenic diphtheria have been reported since 1989, in all cases causing pharyngitis and all emanating from endemic countries with exception of one contact case. We report herein 13 cases with cutaneous diphtheria, in 5 of which diphtheria toxin was produced, and all imported into France between 2015 and 2018.ObservationsThirteen patients aged 4 to 77 years presented painful and rapidly progressive round ulcerations of the legs, that were superficial and in some cases purulent, with an erythematous-purple border covered with greyish membrane. Bacteriological sampling of ulcers revealed the presence of C. diphtheriae. Only 6 patients had been properly immunized over the preceding 5 years.DiscussionThese cases underline the resurgence of cutaneous diphtheria and the circulation of toxigenic strains in France following importation from Indian Ocean countries. This may constitute an important reservoir for ongoing transmission of the disease. Re-emergence of this pathogen stems from the current migratory flow and decreased adult booster coverage.ConclusionCutaneous diphtheria should be considered in cases of rapidly developing painful skin ulcers with greyish membrane, especially among patients returning from endemic areas, regardless of their vaccination status. The clinician should order specific screening for C. diphtheriae from the bacteriologist, since with routine swabbing Corynebacteriaceae may be reported simply as normal skin flora. Vaccination protects against toxigenic manifestations but not against actual bacterial infection. Early recognition and treatment of cutaneous diphtheria and up-to-date vaccination are mandatory to avoid further transmission and spread of both cutaneous and pharyngeal diphtheria.     

Endemic systemic mycoses: coccidioidomycosis,histoplasmosis, paracoccidioidomycosis and blastomycosis

Endemic deep or systemic mycoses are common in specific geographical areas of the world. Coccidioidomycosis is present in semi‐desert areas, histoplasmosis and paracoccidioidomycosis in tropical regions and blastomycosis belongs to temperate climates. The two former are widely distributed in the American continent and some tropical regions of the world; the third is limited to Central and South America, and the last to North America and Central and East Africa. These mycoses all have a similar pathogenesis, as the inoculum enters the host through the respiratory tract. Cutaneous manifestations are secondary to lymphatic and hematogenous dissemination. These deep mycoses are exceptional in Europe. Most cases are observed in returning travelers from endemic areas, aid workers, archaeologists, speleologist and immigrants. However, there have been some autochthonous cases of histoplasmosis due to Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum reported in European countries such as Italy and Germany. In this article, we provide up‐to‐date epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic data on the four most important imported systemic mycoses in Europe.     

Basic approach to inflammatory ulcers

Cutaneous ulcers are a difficult problem. A multidisciplinary approach is often adapted in caring for patients with nonhealing wounds. Internists, surgeons, dermatologists, and nurses must work together to provide a patient with the most comprehensive care possible. Dermatologists are consulted for a number of reasons, particularly if the ulcers are secondary to an inflammatory process. In this discussion, we describe a basic and useful approach to the diagnosis and management of inflammatory ulcers. The spectrum of these conditions is wide, ranging from vasculitis, to pyoderma gangrenosum, to ulcers resulting from the antiphospholipid syndrome and cryoprecipitates. The present authors will emphasize that the approach needs to be all-encompassing, and not focused on the ulceration alone. Certain clues are critical to diagnosis. The management, whereas often difficult, can be very rewarding.     

Causes,investigation and treatment of leg ulceration

Chronic ulceration of the lower leg is a frequent condition, with a prevalence of 3-5% in the population over 65 years of age. The incidence of ulceration is rising as a result of the ageing population and increased risk factors for atherosclerotic occlusion such as smoking, obesity and diabetes. Ulcers can be defined as wounds with a 'full thickness depth' and a 'slow healing tendency'. In general, the slow healing tendency is not simply explained by depth and size, but caused by an underlying pathogenetic factor that needs to be removed to induce healing. The main causes are venous valve insufficiency, lower extremity arterial disease and diabetes. Less frequent conditions are infection, vasculitis, skin malignancies and ulcerating skin diseases such as pyoderma gangrenosum. But even rarer conditions exist, such as the recently discovered combination of vasculitis and hypercoagulability. For a proper treatment of patients with leg ulcers, it is important to be aware of the large differential diagnosis of leg ulceration.     

Kutane Diphtherie nach Bagatellverletzung in Sri Lanka

Cutaneous dipththeria is an infectious bacterial disease endemic in tropical regions, but rarely diagnosed in Germany. Following travel in Sri Lanka, a 60-year-old German presented to our dermatological clinic with a skin ulcer and extensive erythematous erosive edema of his left foot. Corynebacterium diphtheriae was isolated from a swab of the lesion. There were no clinical signs of toxic diphtheria. The patient was treated with penicillin G and erythromycin, followed by a slow healing of the lesion. The isolated strain could be identified as toxigenic C. diphtheriae mitis. Due to increased travel activity, dermatologists should have uncommon infections like cutaneous diphtheria in mind.     

Buruli ulcer. A mycobacterial skin disease

Buruli ulcer is a chronic ulcerative skin disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. It is the third most common mycobacterial disease in immunocompetent people and affects mainly children living in humid areas of the tropical rain forest. The mode of transmission is unknown. The microorganisms penetrate the skin via microinjuries. A few weeks after infection, a subcutaneous nodule develops, followed by necrosis of the subcutaneous fat and finally by a large dermal ulceration. Typical is the lack of an acute inflammatory response, likely due to an immunosuppressive toxin produced by M. ulcerans called mycolactone. The lesions mostly affect the limbs. Constitutional symptoms are normally absent. The only effective treatment consists of wide excision, often followed by skin grafts. Conservative measures are rarely successful. Buruli ulcer is characterized by low mortality and high morbidity. Early recognition and treatment are decisive for the complete cure and prevention of debilitating deformities.     

Pyoderma gangrenosum: a clinical manifestation of difficult diagnosis

Pyoderma gangrenosum is an uncommon ulcerative cutaneous dermatosis associated with a variety of systemic diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, hematological malignancies, hepatitis and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The pathogenesis of pyoderma gangrenosum remains unknown. Its diagnosis is usually based on clinical evidence and confirmed through a process of elimination of the other possible causes of cutaneous ulcers. This report describes a case of pyoderma gangrenosum with extensive ulceration that responded well to treatment.     

The control of infective skin diseases—the lessons of leprosy research

One of the major changes seen in the past 100 years has been a shift in emphasis away from infections as common causes of skin disease in non-tropical countries. In 1888, dermatoses thought to be caused by, or secondary to, syphilis were common in everyday dermatological practice, and papers on this condition and its treatment were issues regularly aired in the medical literature. The first edition of the British Journal of Dermatology , for instance, contains a paper by Unna, on the association between seborrhoeic eczema and syphilis'. Cutaneous forms of other infectious conditions, such as tuberculosis, as well as endemic scalp ringworm were prevalent in dermatological out-patient clinics. Since then there has been a decline in the importance of infections as causes of skin disease, largely through the discovery of antibiotics and improvements in social conditions, although this picture is likely to alter with the emergence of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome which threatens to dominate the pattern of disease for years to come. By contrast, infections are still major causes of skin, as well as internal, disease in the tropics, particularly in rural communities. In recognition of the possibility of eliminating the important transmissible diseases through concerted effort, the World Health Organization has designated six infectious causes of disease as targets for a special programme of tropical disease research. These were malaria, schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis, filariasis, leishmaniasis and leprosy. While the latter three conditions feature prominently as causes of skin disease in the developing world, the advances, as well as the setbacks, in infectious disease research over the last century are perhaps best illustrated by the only bacterial infection in this group—leprosy.     

Familial ulcerative pyoderma gangrenosum: a report of 2 kindred

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare, chronic ulcerative skin disease. It is a diagnosis of exclusion, after ruling out other causes of cutaneous ulceration. The etiology of pyoderma gangrenosum is poorly understood but is likely multifactorial. We describe 2 families affected by ulcerative pyoderma gangrenosum. This familial clustering suggests a possible genetic role in the development of pyoderma gangrenosum in some cases.     

Aggressive multifocal Buruli ulcer with associated osteomyelitis in an HIV-positive patient

Mycobacterium ulcerans infection causes a skin disease known as Buruli ulcer (BU), a disorder manifested usually as a solitary and painless nodule or papule that progresses to massive necrotizing destruction and cutaneous ulceration. When healing occurs, it often results in disabling deformities. Buruli ulcer is considered the third most common mycobacterial disease in immunocompetent people, after tuberculosis and leprosy. Although the emergence of Buruli ulcer in Western African countries over the past decade has been dramatic, it has been scarcely reported in industrialized countries. We report a patient from Equatorial Guinea who was human immunodeficiency virus-positive, presenting aggressive and multifocal BU associated with an underlying destructive osteomyelitis, in which only an aggressive surgical approach yielded to a resolution of the disease. In a global world, with increasing migratory population fluxes, an increased awareness of dermatologists regarding the clinical, histopathological and microbiological features of BU is important in order to avoid significant delays in diagnosis and treatment.     

Free flap coverage of pyoderma gangrenosum leg ulcers

Background: Pyoderma gangrenosum is a necrotizing skin disorder of unknown cause. Treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum usually entails medical treatments. Surgical treatment is generally not successful. Objective: Two patients with pyoderma gangrenosum of their lower extremities are presented. The application and utility of microvascular free flap coverage of their ulcers is discussed. Results: Both patients achieved successful healing with microvascular free flaps. Conclusion: Microvascular free flap coverage may be a surgical treatment option for selected patients with pyoderma gangrenosum.     

Deep cutaneous ulcers and sinus formation in an immunocompetent adult

This report describes a case of unusual deep skin ulcers with tortuous sinus tract formation in an immunocompetent woman. She was initially diagnosed with a Staphylococcus aureus skin infection and histopathologically diagnosed with pyoderma gangrenosum. However, culture from the deep end of ribbon gauze inserted into the subcutaneous sinus tract revealed shiny, light-yellow mucoid colonies, which were identified as Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii. She was treated with fluconazole for nine months and completely healed. Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic infection caused by variants of C. neoformans species. Cutaneous manifestations of cryptococcosis are quite divergent, rarely occurring as deep skin ulcers with sinus formation.     

Disseminated tuberculosis associated with reactive arthritis of Poncet in an immunocompetent patient

Cutaneous tuberculosis is a rare extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis which, like disseminated tuberculosis, commonly occurs in immunocompromised patients. Poncet reactive arthritis is a seronegative arthritis affecting patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis, which is uncommon even in endemic countries. We report a previously healthy 23-year-old male patient with watery diarrhea associated with erythematous ulcers on the lower limbs and oligoarthritis of the hands. Histopathological examination of the skin showed epithelioid granulomatous process with palisade granulomas and central caseous necrosis. AFB screening by Ziehl–Neelsen staining showed intact bacilli, the culture was positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and colonoscopy revealed multiple shallow ulcers. Disseminated tuberculosis associated with reactive Poncet arthritis was diagnosed, with an improvement of the clinical and skin condition after appropriate treatment.     

Strategies for optimizing treatment with efalizumab in moderate to severe psoriasis

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum can be difficult, leading to overdiagnosis or underdiagnosis. OBJECTIVE: To identify clinical features helpful in establishing a diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum and to compare the characteristics of patients with pyoderma gangrenosum with those of patients with chronic venous ulcers. METHOD: A retrospective chart review was performed in 28 patients with typical pyoderma gangrenosum and compared with the clinical features in 28 patients with chronic venous ulcers. RESULTS: (1) Even when other body sites are affected, pyoderma gangrenosum usually affects the upper and lower legs and feet or peristomal sites compared with chronic venous ulcers that are limited to the lower legs and feet. (2) Pyoderma gangrenosum can be associated with systemic diseases, especially inflammatory bowel disease. (3) Pustules and purulent discharge are features of pyoderma gangrenosum but not of chronic venous ulcers. (4) Crater-like holes or cribriform scarring is commonly seen in pyoderma gangrenosum but not in chronic venous ulcers. (5) Pathergy is a specific but not sensitive finding of pyoderma gangrenosum. It does not occur in patients with chronic venous ulcers. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum should be considered in patients with purulent ulcers affecting the legs or peristomal sites. To confirm the diagnosis, specific features should be sought, including pathergy, crater-like holes or cribriform scarring, and association with inflammatory bowel disease. Other causes of ulceration should be excluded.     

Cutaneous ectoparasites

Parasites inhabit many places in the world. Some of these can inhabit the human skin or body. Many of these have been eradicated in the developed countries but persist in some tropical environments that are fun places to visit. Visitors can bring such parasites home with them such as scabies, cutaneous larva migrans, tungiasis and myiasis. Their clinical manifestations and treatment are presented for physicians evaluating and treating travelers from exotic places.     

Cutaneous ulcerations on hands and heels secondary to long-term hydroxyurea treatment

Hydroxyurea is a chemotherapeutic agent used to treat myeloproliferative disorders and other non-neoplastic conditions. Cutaneous side-effects have been described in long-term therapy with hydroxyurea and include xerosis, hyperpigmentation, skin atrophy, erythema, alopecia, skin tumours and ulceration of the skin, particularly of the legs. We present a 71-year old patient with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) who developed extremely painful ulcers on the hands and heels as well as skin tumours while on long-term therapy with hydroxyurea. The ulcers were resistant to therapy but healed three months after discontinuation of hydroxyurea therapy.     

Cutaneous larva migrans in two Slovenian travelers returning from Brazil

Cutaneous larva migrans is a frequent phenomenon endemic in tropical and subtropical countries. In Europe only sporadic cases are reported. We present two cases of cutaneous larva migrans in two Slovenian tourists returning from a vacation in Brazil.