Spontaneous dermal abscesses and ulcers as a result of Serratia marcescens

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Vol. 49; no. 2; pp. 193 - 194
• Main Authors: Friedman, N.Deborah, Peterson, Neeraja B, Sumner, William T, Alexander, Barbara D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01.08.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Abscess - diagnosis; Abscess - microbiology; Abscess - therapy; Acute Disease; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial diseases of the skin; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy, Needle; Combined Modality Therapy; Drainage - methods; Drug Therapy, Combination - administration & dosage; Follow-Up Studies; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Leg Ulcer - diagnosis; Leg Ulcer - microbiology; Leg Ulcer - therapy; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Risk Assessment; Serratia Infections - diagnosis; Serratia Infections - drug therapy; Serratia marcescens - isolation & purification; Severity of Illness Index; Skin Ulcer - diagnosis; Skin Ulcer - microbiology; Skin Ulcer - therapy; Treatment Outcome; Infection; Case study; Human; Skin disease; Spontaneous; Abscess; Serratia marcescens; Bacteriosis; Bacteria; Ulcer; Derm; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 0190-9622; 1097-6787
• DOI: 10.1067/mjd.2003.312

Serratia sp have only rarely been reported as isolates from leg ulcers. We describe the case of a middle-aged man with a medical history significant for alcohol-induced cirrhosis who presented with rapidly progressive skin ulcers initially starting as purple nodules. These skin ulcers and underlying dermal abscesses were found to be a result of S marcescens, with the presumed portal of entry being a toe-web infection.