Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026

10:45
Deep Dermal Injection As a Model of Candida albicans Skin Infection for Histological Analyses
Published on: June 13, 2018
Corynebacterium-associated skin infections
Géraldine Blaise1, Arjen F Nikkels, Trihn Hermanns-Lê
1Department of Dermatopathology, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
International Journal of Dermatology
|October 22, 2008
Summary
Pitted keratolysis, a bacterial infection of the feet, primarily affects young males who wear protective shoes. Key symptoms include hyperhidrosis, odor, and pain, often linked to moist environments.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Pitted keratolysis is a plantar infection caused by Corynebacterium spp.
- It affects the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of skin on the feet.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate demographic features of patients with pitted keratolysis.
- To review Corynebacterium-associated infections like pitted keratolysis, erythrasma, and trichobacteriosis.
Main Methods:
- A 2-year prospective survey at two centers.
- Assessed demographics, infection sites, symptoms, shoe habits, and associated skin conditions in 53 patients.
Main Results:
- The average patient age was 24.9 years, with a male to female ratio of 7.8:1.
- Most patients (92.4%) had infections on both soles, often in pressure-bearing areas.
- Hyperhidrosis (68%), unpleasant odor (66%), and pain (47%) were common complaints, with 96.2% wearing occlusive shoes.
Conclusions:
- Pitted keratolysis predominantly affects young males in professions requiring protective footwear.
- The condition thrives in moist, warm environments created by occlusive shoes.
- Hyperhidrosis, odor, and pain are the primary clinical manifestations.
Related Concept Videos
Staphylococcal Skin Infections
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
Skin Diseases and Disorders
Skin is the first line of defense and encounters a variety of microbes. Some pathogenic strains are often the cause of a broad range of infections of the skin and other body systems. These conditions can affect people of all ages and may have different causes, including genetic factors, infections, autoimmune reactions, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices.
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...
The Skin Microbiota
The human skin serves as a complex ecosystem inhabited by a diverse community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This microbiome plays a critical role in maintaining skin health and defending against pathogenic invaders. The composition of microbial communities varies significantly across different regions of the body, influenced primarily by the local levels of moisture and sebum.Regional Variation in Skin MicrobiotaCutibacterium acnes predominantly colonizes sebaceous...
Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria
Coryneform bacteria are gram-positive, aerobic, nonmotile rods that exhibit irregular, club-shaped, or V-shaped arrangements. Their V-shape results from snapping division, where the inner cell wall layer forms the cross-wall, while the outer layer remains intact until it ruptures on one side, causing the daughter cells to bend away.The primary genera are Corynebacterium and Arthrobacter. Corynebacterium includes diverse species, ranging from saprophytes to pathogens like Corynebacterium...
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an acute, toxin-mediated infectious disease that primarily affects the upper respiratory tract. It is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a Gram-positive, pleomorphic rod that lacks spore-forming capability and exhibits a characteristic club-shaped morphology under microscopic examination. While C. diphtheriae can asymptomatically colonize mucosal surfaces, clinical disease manifests only when the bacterial strain is lysogenized by a specific β-corynephage. This phage...
Acne Infection
Acne is a multifactorial skin condition primarily affecting adolescents and young adults, with a global prevalence estimated to exceed 75% in this demographic. The condition is characterized by the formation of comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), papules, pustules, nodules, and, in severe cases, cysts, particularly in areas rich in sebaceous glands such as the face, neck, chest, and back. The pathogenesis involves increased sebum production, follicular hyperkeratinization, colonization by...