Nosocomial Aeromonas hydrophila cellulitis and bacteremia in a nonimmunocompromised patient

An elderly man, without heat in his home for two days, presented with cold, painful, swollen feet. Second-degree frostbite was present. After having moist packs applied to his feet for five days, the patient became febrile and hypotensive, and wet gangrene necessitated left below-knee and right above-knee amputations. Aeromonas hydrophila was isolated from the patient's blood and cultures of the pedal wounds. An etiologic role of the moist pack therapy is postulated.