Primary cutaneous Nocardia brasiliensis cellulitis in immunocompetent child

2012

[Article in Hebrew]

Shachor-Meyouhas Y, Ravid S, Suhair H, Kassis I.

Source

Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Meyer Children's Hospital, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel. y_shahor@rambam.health.gov.il

Abstract

Primary cutaneous nocardiosis is an infrequent infection among children, generally affecting immunocompromised hosts. It is caused by Gram positive bacteria, partially alcohol and acid resistant which are saprophytes of the soil, water and organic matter. In most cases the causal agent enters through inhalation, and hematogenous dissemination may occur mainly among the immune compromised patients. Direct cutaneous inoculation is less frequent, especially among children. We report an 8-year old female who lives in an urban house with a small garden, who presented with an ulcer on her right shin accompanied by surrounding cellulitis, pain, swelling and fever. The patient's medical history was unremarkable, with no exposure to animals or travelling, except for rafting on the Jordan River the previous week. Culture from the ulcer grew Nocardia brasiliensis, and she recovered after 8 weeks of therapy with trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole.

PubMed

Necrotizing cellulitis of the abdominal wall, caused by Pediococcus sp., due to rupture of a retroperitoneal stromal cell tumor.

Jan 2013

Michalopoulos N, Arampatzi S, Papavramidis TS, Kotidis E, Laskou S, Papavramidis ST.

Source

3rd Department of Surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: nickos.michalopoulos@gmail.com.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Soft tissue necrotizing infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to present a patient with necrotizing infection of abdominal wall resulting from the rupture of a retroperitoneal stromal tumor.

PRESENTATION OF CASE:

We present a 60-year-old Caucasian male patient with necrotizing infection of abdominal wall secondary to the rupture of a retroperitoneal stromal tumor. The patient was initially treated with debridement and fasciotomy of the anterior abdominal wall. Laparotomy revealed purulent peritonitis caused by infiltration and rupture of the splenic flexure by the tumor. Despite prompt intervention the patient died 19 days later. The isolated microorganism causing the infection was the rarely identified as cause of infections in humans Pediococcus sp., a gram-positive, catalase-negative coccus.

DISCUSSION:

Necrotizing infections of abdominal wall are usually secondary either to perineal or to intra-abdominal infections. Gastrointestinal stromal cell tumors could be rarely complicated with perforation and abscess formation. In our case, the infiltrated by the extra-gastrointestinal stromal cell tumor ruptured colon was the source of the infection. The pediococci are rarely isolated as the cause of severe septicemia.

CONCLUSION:

Ruptured retroperitoneal stromal cell tumors are extremely rare cause of necrotizing fasciitis, and before this case, Pediococcus sp. has never been isolated as the responsible agent.

PubMed

Disseminated Cryptococcosis presenting as cellulitis in a renal transplant recipient.

Jan 2013

Chaya R, Padmanabhan S, Anandaswamy V, Moin A.

Source

Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysore, Karnataka, India. drchayadr17@yahoo.com.

Abstract

Cellulitis is an unusual presentation of  renal transplant  in renal allograft recipients. In such patients, disseminated cryptococcal infection can result in significant morbidity and mortality. Patients are often treated with antibiotics before a definitive diagnosis is made, delaying appropriate therapy. We describe the case of a 43-year-old post renal transplant recipient presenting with fever and swelling in the right thigh. On physical examination, the patient was found to have features suggestive of cellulitis with minimal slurring of speech. Material obtained from incision and drainage of the wound showed yeast cells resembling Cryptococcus spp. Blood culture and cerebrospinal fluid culture were also found to have growth of Cryptococcus neoformans. He received treatment with amphotericin B 6 mg/kg daily intravenously for two weeks, then continued with fluconazole 400 mg daily for three months. The patient showed a remarkable improvement. There was no recurrence of cryptococcosis after four months of follow-up. The diagnosis of disseminated cryptococcosis should be considered in differential diagnosis of cellulitis among non HIV immunocompromised hosts. A high clinical suspicion and early initiation of therapy is needed to recognize and treat patients effectively.

JIDC

Giant Cellulitis-like Sweet Syndrome, a New Variant of Neutrophilic Dermatosis.

Jan 2013

Surovy AM, Pelivani N, Hegyi I, Buettiker U, Beltraminelli H, Borradori L.

Abstract

BACKGROUND 

Neutrophilic dermatoses comprise a wide spectrum of inflammatory diseases with overlapping features characterized histologically by the presence of an aseptic neutrophilic infiltrate in the epidermis, dermis, and/or hypodermis and are often associated with systemic inflammatory and neoplastic disorders. 

OBSERVATIONS 

We describe 3 patients with an unusual neutrophilic dermatosis characterized by relapsing episodes of fever, widespread infiltrated plaques with bullous appearance, and variable involvement of the arms, legs, abdomen, and/or trunk. Light microscopy studies showed marked edema of the papillary dermis with an inflammatory infiltrate consisting mainly of mature neutrophils. All 3 patients were morbidly obese, and workup revealed underlying cancer in 2 cases: myeloma and breast carcinoma. Management of the underlying disease resulted in long-term remission of the skin disease. 

CONCLUSIONS 

The clinicopathologic features in our 3 cases best correspond to a widespread giant cellulitis-like form of Sweet syndrome. Knowledge of this newly observed unusual variant of Sweet syndrome within the broad spectrum of neutrophilic diseases is important for its prompt and proper management.

PubMed

Infected orthokeratinized odontogenic cyst: a rare cause of facial cellulitis.

Oct 2012

Carvalho CH, Aquino AR, Nonaka CF, Silva JS, Germano Ada R, Pinto LP.

Source

Department of Oral Pathology, Dental School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.

Abstract

Orthokeratinized odontogenic cysts (OOCs) are relatively uncommon developmental cysts lined with orthokeratinized epithelium consisting of a prominent granular layer and a basal layer of low cuboidal flattened cells that show no tendency for nuclear palisading. These cysts have been considered a distinct entity from odontogenic keratocysts since they exhibit a less aggressive behavior and a very low rate of recurrence. Developmental odontogenic cysts can become infected but serious complications, such as potentially life-threatening cellulitis, are rare. This report describes a rare case of facia lcellulitis secondary to an infected OOC located in the mandible of a 27-year-old man. The relevant literature about the clinical-pathological features of OOC is reviewed.

PubMed

Successful treatment of steroid-dependent eosinophilic cellulitis with cyclosporine.

Jan 2013

Kim SH, Kwon JE, Kim HB.

Source

Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Eosinophilic cellulitis (EC) is a rare idiopathic disorder, first described as a "recurrent granulomatous dermatitis with eosinophilia", that mimics cellulitis of infectious origin. We describe here a previously healthy 11-year-old girl who experienced fever and tender erythematous patch lesions after trauma to her knees. Because of the relapsing cellulitis-like skin lesions, skin biopsies were taken, resulting in a diagnosis of EC. The patient responded well to oral prednisolone but experienced side effects and relapse during dose tapering. She was switched from prednisolone to cyclosporine. Her EC remained under control, and she showed no evidence of relapse after discontinuation of cyclosporine.

Full text

NIH - Allergy Asthma Immunology Res

see also:

Wells Syndrome