Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history Erythema migrans (EM) is the skin finding that characterizes early Lyme disease. It is the most common objective manifestation of Lyme disease and occurs in approximately 90% of cases. This lesion is so characteristic that it allowed for the accurate…
Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history Cryptococcosis is an invasive mycosis that occurs worldwide causing significant morbidity and mortality. Cutaneous cryptococcosis is a condition that is classified as a primary or secondary infection. Primary cutaneous cryptococcosis is a distinct infection that is usually a result of…
Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history Cutaneous mucormycosis tends to occur in patients who have significant contamination of skin wounds. Due to the angioinvasive nature of this fungus, infection can spread rapidly from the skin to deep tissue and bone. Invariably, untreated skin infection will result…
OVERVIEW: What every clinician needs to know Pathogen name and classification Originally classified as a Corynebacterium, Rhodococcus is now classified as a member of the family Nocardioform, order Actinomycetes. The classification of this genus results from the following properties of rhodococci: mycolic, acid-containing cell walls and production of tuberculostearic acid. Members of this genus lack…
OVERVIEW: What every clinician needs to know Pathogen name and classification The genus Erysipelothrix is a member of the class Erysipelotrichia, in the phylum Firmicutes. It is comprised of three main species: Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Erysipelothrix tonsillarum, and Erysipelothrix inopinata. Continue Reading Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, a pleomorphic, non-motile, non-sporulating, gram-positive rod, is the type species of the…
OVERVIEW: What every clinician needs to know Pathogen names and classification Coryneform bacteria are a group of gram-positive, catalase-positive, non-spore-forming, non-motile, rod-shaped bacteria. The coryneform bacteria include the genera Corynebacterium, Arcanobacterium, Brevibacterium, Dermabacter, Microbacterium, Rothia, Turicella, Arthrobacter, and Oerskovia. They have also been called diphtheroids. Lipophilic Corynebacteria Corynebacterium jeikeium, C.urealyticum, C.afermentans subsp. lipophilum, C.accolens, C.macginleyi,…
Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history Blastomycosis is a systemic pyogranulomatous disease caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis, an endemic mycosis that is commonly encountered in North America. More specifically, it is endemic in US states that border the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys, as well as US…
