[Skin and Soft Tissue Infections Due to Corynebacterium ulcerans - Case Reports]. / Haut- und Weichteilinfektionen durch Corynebacterium ulcerans ­ Fallberichte.

History and clinical findings We report on three patients suffering from skin and soft tissue infections of the legs due to toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans strains. In all three patients, there was a predisposition due to chronic diseases. Three patients had domestic animals (cat, dog) in their households. Investigations and diagnosis A mixed bacterial flora including Corynebacterium ulcerans was found in wound swab samples. Diphtheric toxin was produced by the Corynebacterium ulcerans strains in all three cases. Treatment and course In all three patients, successful handling of the skin and soft tissue infections was possible by combining local treatment with antibiotics. Diphtheria antitoxin was not administered in any case. Conclusion Based on a review of the recent literature pathogenesis, clinical symptoms and signs, diagnostics and therapy of skin and soft tissue infections due to Corynebacterium ulcerans are discussed. Corynebacterium ulcerans should be considered as a potential cause of severe skin and soft tissue infections. Occupational or domestic animal contacts should be evaluated.

Animal and Human Bite Wounds.

BACKGROUND: 30,000 to 50,000 injuries are caused by bites in Germany every year. Dog and cat bites are common, human bites relatively rare. 25% of the victims are under age 6, and 34% are aged 6 to 17. METHODS: This review is based on pertinent literature retrieved by a selective search and on the authors' clinical and scientific experience. RESULTS: In small children, most bite wounds are on the head and neck; in older children and adolescents, most are on the limbs. Bite injuries range from trivial ones needing no medical intervention to major soft-tissue defects with the loss of functionally important structures. A bite can transmit unusual pathogens from the saliva into the wound. The risk of infection after a bite is 10-20%, and about 30-60% of the infections are of mixed aerobic-anaerobic origin. Prophylactic antibiotics are recommended only for wounds that are considered at high risk of infection in view of their type and location, the species of the biting animal, and the characteristics of the patient. CONCLUSION: Structured surgical management of bite wounds is the most important factor in the prevention of infection. High-risk wounds must be differentiated from trivial ones. Interdisciplinary management is advisable for wounds on the hands and face.

[Skin and soft tissue infections due to non-tuberculous mycobacteria: etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, differential diagnostic aspects and therapeutic recommendations]. / Haut- und Weichgewebe-Infektionen durch nicht-tuberkulöse Mykobakterien: Ätiologie, Epidemiologie, Pathogenese, Klinik, Diagnostik, differenzialdiagnostische Aspekte und Empfehlungen für die Therapie.

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria are rarely responsible for skin and soft tissue infections. These infections are caused by different mycobacterial species originating from the environment (water, soil, plants, and animals). Various factors influence the clinical manifestation of the cutaneous infection: the immunological situation of the patient, the degree of cutaneous impairment, and the extent of the contact with the contaminated environment. The clinical manifestation is non-specific and often the cause of extensive diagnostic activities. The diagnosis is based on the cultural detection of the causative pathogen. The management of these skin and subcutaneous infections is a challenge for each physician. The treatment comprises administration of several antibiotics and antituberculosis drugs for many months. Surgical procedures are necessary in some patients.

[Fatal sepsis due to capnocytophaga canimorsus after dog bite]. / Letal verlaufende Capnocytophaga-canimorsus-Sepsis nach Hundebiss.

A 56-year-old man was bitten by a dog. 8 days later he was admitted to a hospital because of severe deterioration of his clinical situation. He developed the clinical picture of fulminant sepsis. In spite of aggressive intensive care therapy the patient died 24 hours later. Capnocytophaga canimorsus was identified from initial blood cultures. This gram-negative rod is part of the normal oral flora of dogs and cats. It can be spread to humans by bites, licking or scratches and causes severe infections, especially in persons with special risk factors (splenectomy, alcoholism). The mortality rate in the published cases is 25-30%.

[Listeriosis in adults - case reports and review of the literature]. / Listeriose bei Erwachsenen - Fallberichte und Literatur-Ubersicht.

Listeriosis is a rare disease with increasing incidence occurring mainly in elderly people and patients suffering from underlying diseases and immunosuppressive therapy. On the basis of three case reports and a review of the literature the most important aspects of epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnostics and therapy of listeriosis are discussed.

Mycobacterium microti--pulmonary tuberculosis in an immunocompetent patient.

Human tuberculosis is caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, which includes M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. africanum and M. bovis BCG. However there are increasing reports of rarely occurring genetic variants such as M. canettii, M. microti and M. pinipedii. The natural reservoir, mode of transmission and potential modification of host interaction of these species is not yet fully elucidated. We report a rare case of extensive cavitary smear-positive tuberculosis of the left lung caused by M. microti in an immunocompetent tuberculin-negative 68-year-old man. Transmission by a raccoon dog or raccoon as a novel M. microti reservoir was suspected. Spoligotyping of the isolate revealed the llama subtype. The strain exhibited no detectable drug resistance. Response to standard tuberculosis treatment, initially comprising isoniacid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol, was excellent. Delayed growth on solid media, specific phenotypic features and contact with animals should raise suspicion for this rare mycobacterial infection.

[Endocarditis due to Cardiobacterium hominis after Ross operation. Case report and review of the literature]. / Endokarditis durch Cardiobacterium hominis nach Ross-Operation: Fallbericht und Literaturübersicht.

CASE REPORT: A case of endocarditis due to Cardiobacterium (C.) hominis in a 41-year-old female patient 1 year after aortic valve replacement with a pulmonary autograft (Ross operation) is described. Diagnosis was established by blood culture and echocardiographic detection of a vegetation on the noncoronary cusp of the autograft. Despite clinical improvement by treatment with ceftriaxone and gentamicin, a cerebral hemorrhage occurred on the 7th day of treatment and neurosurgery was necessary. Progressive insufficiency of the aortic valve and persistent large vegetation required repeated aortic valve replacement 3 weeks after cerebral hemorrhage. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE: C. hominis is a Gram-negative, slow-growing and fastidious bacterium, rarely causing endocarditis. Subacute and chronic courses are common. That is why diagnosis often is difficult and delayed. Reviewing the literature, clinical presentation, diagnostics and therapy of endocarditis due to C. hominis are discussed.

[Listeriosis in a patient with hemodialysis and iron overload]. / Listeriose bei einem Patienten mit Hämodialyse und Eisenüberladung.

A case of listeriosis in a patient undergoing long-term hemodialysis is reported. The 69-year-old man with chronic renal failure due to polycystic renal dysplasia had received hemodialysis treatment for 10 years. Renal anemia and iron overload developed within this time. In the course of a hemodialysis the patient presented with malaise, chills and fever to 38.7 degrees C. Blood culture specimens were obtained and the patient received ampicillin-sulbactam. Blood culture specimens subsequently showed growth of Listeria monocytogenes. During therapy the patient improved rapidly and was free from fever on day 5. The relation of iron overload and Listeria infection is discussed.

[Endocarditis due to Granulicatella adiacens]. / Endokarditis durch Granulicatella adiacens.

CASE REPORT: A prosthetic aortic valve was implanted in a 41-year-old patient with connatal aortic stenosis. 14 months later a bacterial endocarditis was diagnosed and treated with ceftriaxone. 6 weeks later he had a relapse. Satellite streptococci could be cultivated from three blood cultures, later identified as Granulicatella adiacens. The patient was treated with penicillin and gentamicin. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE: In a short review of the literature the most important aspects of pathogenesis, diagnostics and therapy of endocarditis due to satellite streptococci are presented.

Vertebral osteomyelitis in an infant presenting with pseudotumor and narrowing of the spinal canal.

In an 8-week-old infant, kyphosis caused by destruction of the 7th thoracic vertebra was observed. A paraspinal mass and narrowing of the spinal canal due to vertebral osteomyelitis were present. Treatment with antibiotics and bracing was carried out with no evidence of neurologic disturbances over a follow-up period of 24 months.

[Piercing and tattoos in patients with congenital heart disease -- is it a problem?]. / Piercing und Tätowierungen -- ein Problem für Patienten mit angeborenen Herzfehlern?

Piercing and tattooing enjoy widespread popularity in modern society. Patients with congenital heart disease are at elevated risk for infective endocarditis. However, it is not yet known whether piercing and tattooing are dangerous for these patients.A search of the literature provided 10 published cases of infective endocarditis after piercing or tattooing. Affected patients were adolescents or young adults ranging in age from 13 to 30 years (5 male, 5 female). Four of the patients had a known cardiac risk factor for endocarditis (bicuspid aortic valve, postoperative trans-position of the great arteries, postoperative coarctation, postoperative aortic valve stenosis). Piercing preceded endocarditis in 9 cases (4 times mouth, 2 ear, 1 nose, 1 breast, 1 navel), one tattoo. The following agents were isolated: S. aureus in 4 cases, 2 S. epidermidis, 1 Str. viridans, 1 Neisseria mucosa, 1 Haemophilus aphrophilus, 1 Haemophilus parainfluenzae. All patients were treated with antibiotics. Six patients underwent cardiac surgery (5 of them valve replacement). Patients with congenital heart disease constitute less than 1% of the population. Thus, they are clearly overrepresented in the published literature. Epidemiologic conclusions are not possible from these data. However, patients with congenital heart disease and their parents should be strongly advised against piercing and tattooing with regard to the risk of infective endocarditis.

[Infections caused by piercing and tattoos--a review]. / Infektionen durch Piercing und Tattoos--eine Ubersicht.

Piercing, i.e. perforation of skin or mucous membranes in order to attach mostly metallic jewelery as well as multicolored skin tattooing have become more popular than ever before and a considerable number of (young) people practise these methods of body art which are supposed to increase the individuality. But there is a lot of side effects, among them especially infections. The most important bacteria cultivated from such patients are Staphylococcus aureus, group A streptococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Viruses which can be transmitted by piercing or tattooing are especially hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. Besides local bacterial infections also systemic infections (sepsis, endocarditis) occur. The main aspects of diagnostics, therapy and prevention are discussed.

A season of aseptic meningitis in Germany: epidemiologic, clinical and diagnostic aspects.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed epidemiologic, clinical and laboratory features of aseptic meningitis during one season of multiserotype enteroviral meningitis in East Germany in 70 consecutive patients with aseptic meningitis admitted to the Children's University Hospital Leipzig. RESULTS: Patients, age 1 to 16 years, typically presented with headache, emesis and fever, whereas signs of meningeal irritation were only moderately expressed in one-half of the patients. The median number of leukocytes in the CSF was 151 cells/mm(3) (range, 2 to 1,820) with a high percentage of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs). Initial blood counts showed mild leukocytosis and pronounced PMN predominance (78.9 +/- 1.3%). The percentage of PMNs in the peripheral blood decreased in favor of mononuclear cells after 3 days to a pattern more compatible with viral infection as opposed to that suggestive for bacteria in the beginning. Mean cerebrospinal fluid values of protein, glucose and lactate and the C-reactive protein were mildly elevated or normal. Nonpolio enteroviruses were detected in 30 of 70 patients. Subsequent serotyping revealed echovirus type 13 (13 patients), type 6 (2), type 30 (1) and coxsackie B virus type 5 (2). There were no differences in demographic or clinical data between enterovirus positive and negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: Even though individual laboratory values do not solely allow discrimination between viral and bacterial meningitis, the combined epidemiologic, clinical and laboratory data facilitate the diagnosis of aseptic meningitis in most cases. Viral diagnostics, identifying echovirus type 13 that thus far has not been associated with epidemics of meningitis, adds important epidemiologic information.