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Axillary abscess due to Yersinia enterocolitica
1Infectious Disease Section, S-111-ID, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, 1660 S. Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108, USA. bmenzies@u.washington.edu
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
|July 16, 2010
Summary
Yersinia enterocolitica, a bacterium that typically infects the intestines, was found to cause an axillary abscess in a patient with hepatitis C. Direct inoculation through a finger injury is the likely transmission route for this rare extraintestinal infection.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Yersinia enterocolitica is a Gram-negative bacterium primarily known for causing gastroenteritis.
- Extraintestinal manifestations of Yersinia enterocolitica infections are uncommon.
- Chronic hepatitis C is an important comorbidity that may influence infection susceptibility.
Observation:
- A 54-year-old male construction worker presented with an axillary abscess.
- The patient had a history of chronic hepatitis C and a recent finger injury.
- Aspirate from the abscess yielded a pure culture of Yersinia enterocolitica.
Findings:
- This case demonstrates a rare instance of extraintestinal Yersinia enterocolitica infection.
- The axillary abscess suggests a non-enteric route of infection.
- Direct inoculation of the pathogen into the subcutaneous tissue is proposed.
Implications:
- Highlights the potential for Yersinia enterocolitica to cause disease outside the gastrointestinal tract.
- Suggests that skin trauma can serve as an entry point for enteric pathogens.
- Underscores the importance of considering Yersinia species in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals.
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