Biomaterial Database

Shewanella soft tissue infection: case report and literature review. 2008

Moan-Shane Tsai, and Huey-Ling You, and Ya-Fen Tang, and Jien-Wei Liu

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 123 Ta-Pei Rd, Niao Sung Hsiang, Kaohsiung Hsien 833, Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE To better understand the clinical characteristics of soft tissue infections caused by Shewanella in humans. METHODS We report a case of Shewanella soft tissue infection and review the English literature from a search of PubMed. RESULTS A total of 27 adults (mean age 61.1+/-16.0 years) with soft tissue infections caused by Shewanella were included for analysis. Limb involvement was found in 22 (81.5%) patients, while scalp, face, perineum, lacrimal sac, and abdominal wall involvement were each found in one patient. Chronic ulcer over the leg (14 cases (51.9%)), steroid use (four cases (14.8%)), and liver cirrhosis (three cases (11.1%)) were the major underlying conditions. Shewanella bacteremia was found in 14 out of 22 patients with soft tissue infections involving the limbs. Two patients died of septicemia, giving a mortality rate of 7.4%. CONCLUSIONS Shewanella soft tissue infections usually develop in immunocompromised patients with a preexisting cutaneous ulcer (particularly over the legs) after marine environment or seawater exposure. In view of the possible catastrophic consequences, education on the prevention of Shewanella soft tissue infections in at-risk people (e.g., the immunocompromised or elderly with a cutaneous ulcer) relating the need to avoid exposure to the marine environment or seawater may be of importance.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D016905	Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections	Infections caused by bacteria that show up as pink (negative) when treated by the gram-staining method.	Bacterial Infections, Gram-Negative,Infections, Gram-Negative Bacterial,Bacterial Infection, Gram-Negative,Gram Negative Bacterial Infections,Gram-Negative Bacterial Infection,Infection, Gram-Negative Bacterial
D018461	Soft Tissue Infections	Infections of non-skeletal tissue, i.e., exclusive of bone, ligaments, cartilage, and fibrous tissue. The concept is usually referred to as skin and soft tissue infections and usually subcutaneous and muscle tissue are involved. The predisposing factors in anaerobic infections are trauma, ischemia, and surgery. The organisms often derive from the fecal or oral flora, particularly in wounds associated with intestinal surgery, decubitus ulcer, and human bites. (From Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 19th ed, p1688)	Infections, Soft Tissue,Infection, Soft Tissue,Soft Tissue Infection
D020592	Shewanella	A genus of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic rods. It is a saprophytic, marine organism which is often isolated from spoiling fish.