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Aquarium-borne Mycobacterium marinum granulomas
Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
|January 1, 1980
Summary
Mycobacterium marinum, a fish-borne bacterium, caused a rare skin granuloma in a Danish man after aquarium injury. Successful treatment involved rifampicin and ethambutol, confirming a new geographical record for this infection.
Area of Science:
- * Infectious Diseases
- * Dermatology
- * Zoonotic Infections
Background:
- * Mycobacterium marinum is an aquatic bacterium known to cause infections in fish and humans.
- * Human infections typically result from exposure to contaminated water or fish, often through skin abrasions.
Observation:
- * A 37-year-old man in Denmark presented with a skin granuloma following an injury from aquarium glass.
- * The patient had an aquarium with tropical fish, and Mycobacterium marinum was subsequently isolated from his skin lesion.
- * The same bacterium was also identified in a deceased fish from the patient's aquarium.
Findings:
- * This case represents the first documented isolation of Mycobacterium marinum in Denmark.
- * Treatment with rifampicin and ethambutol proved effective in resolving the patient's skin granuloma.
- * No skin granuloma cases were observed in individuals who purchased fish from the infected patient.
Implications:
- * Highlights the potential for Mycobacterium marinum infections in new geographical regions.
- * Emphasizes the importance of considering aquatic M. marinum exposure in cases of atypical skin granulomas.
- * Demonstrates the efficacy of standard antibiotic treatment regimens for M. marinum infections.