An intertidal mollusk found in a boy's skin abscess

Skin abscesses are commonly seen by primary care physicians in the outpatient setting. The majority of these soft tissue infections arise from penetration wounds by inanimate objects, but rarely, a living organism may present as a contributing factor. We present a case of an 11-year-old boy with an unusual skin abscess containing a chequered periwinkle marine snail (Littorina scutulata). The unique characteristics of this intertidal mollusk appear to have enabled it to survive in the subcutaneous tissue for a week, despite the hostile environment of a skin abscess. This case emphasises adherence to current professional guidelines that recommend incision and drainage of suspected skin abscesses and encourages clinicians to take a careful history of present illness which may aid in identification of subsequent cases of marine snails, or other living organisms, residing in skin abscesses.