Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 24, 2026

Humanized Mouse Model to Study Bacterial Infections Targeting the Microvasculature
11:40

Humanized Mouse Model to Study Bacterial Infections Targeting the Microvasculature

Published on: April 1, 2014

Skin clues in the diagnosis of life-threatening infections

M E Kingston, D Mackey

    Reviews of Infectious Diseases
    |January 1, 1986
    PubMed

    Insights

    Skin lesions offer vital clues to septicemia causes, stemming from vascular invasion, immune responses, or toxins. Diagnostic skin scrapings and biopsies aid in identifying specific infections like Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

    Area of Science:

    • Infectious Diseases
    • Dermatology
    • Pathology

    Background:

    • Skin lesions are critical indicators for diagnosing septicemia.
    • Understanding the pathogenesis of skin manifestations is key to identifying underlying infections.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To outline the primary processes leading to skin lesions in septicemia.
    • To emphasize the diagnostic utility of examining skin lesions.

    Main Methods:

    • Review of the five main pathogenic processes causing skin lesions in septicemia.
    • Highlighting the role of direct vascular invasion by microorganisms.
    • Discussing immune-mediated and embolic origins of skin lesions.

    Main Results:

    • Identified five key mechanisms for skin lesion development in septicemia: disseminated intravascular coagulation, direct vascular invasion, immune vasculitis, endocarditis emboli, and toxin effects.
    • Disseminated intravascular coagulation plays a minor role.
    • Bacterial vascular invasion can cause varied inflammatory responses, from severe to minimal.

    Conclusions:

    • Skin lesions are crucial diagnostic markers for septicemia.
    • Gram-stained smears of skin lesion scrapings are valuable diagnostic tools.
    • Skin biopsies are essential for diagnosing specific conditions such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Candida infections.

    More Related Videos

    Deep Dermal Injection As a Model of Candida albicans Skin Infection for Histological Analyses10:45

    Deep Dermal Injection As a Model of Candida albicans Skin Infection for Histological Analyses

    Published on: June 13, 2018

    Skin Biopsy for Diagnosing Discoid Lupus Erythematosus05:44

    Skin Biopsy for Diagnosing Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

    Published on: June 10, 2025

    Related Concept Videos

    Infection01:20

    Infection

    When a pathogen enters the body and reproduces, it can cause an infection, damage body cells, and cause illness symptoms that eventually lead to disease. Therefore, its prevention requires breaking the chain of infection.
    The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
    Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

    Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

    The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
    The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin create...
    Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives01:14

    Changes in Skin Color: Clinical Perspectives

    The first thing a clinician sees is the skin, so the examination of the skin should be part of any thorough physical examination. Most skin disorders are relatively benign, but a few, including melanomas, can be fatal if untreated. A couple of the more noticeable disorders, albinism and vitiligo, affect the appearance of the skin and its accessory organs.
    Albinism
    Albinism is a genetic disorder that affects (completely or partially) the coloring of skin, hair, and eyes. The defect is primarily...
    Skin Diseases and Disorders01:23

    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...
    Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis01:25

    Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis

    Endocarditis can present various clinical features depending on the causative organism and the patient's underlying health conditions. Initially, the clinical features of infective endocarditis develop gradually, presenting with nonspecific symptoms that can be easily mistaken for other illnesses.General SymptomsEarly symptoms of infective endocarditis are fever, chills, weakness, malaise, fatigue, and weight loss. These symptoms reflect the systemic nature of the infection and the body's...
    Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

    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...