Colonization of skin by Helcococcus kunzii

Abstract

In order to investigate the role of Helcococcus kunzii as a colonizer of skin and as a possible participant in diabetic foot ulcers, we used a selective medium to culture both lower-and upper-extremity skin from a study group of podiatry patients (60 diabetics and 60 nondiabetics) and a control group of 50 healthy volunteers. Although differences in colonization were not statistically significant, a trend toward higher colonization rates in the group of podiatry patients was noted. H. kunzii appears to preferentially colonize the skin of the feet, and while its pathogenic role in diabetic foot ulcers is difficult to establish, it may be a previously unrecognized component of the polymicrobial flora characteristically isolated from patients with these infections.

Breast Abscess Associated with Helcococcus kunzii

“…Demonstration of enhanced growth in broth supplemented with 0.1% Tween 80 offers further support for this identification. Like other reports (2,4,8), biochemical testing of our isolate resulted in API profile no. 4100413.…”

“…The fermentation of inulin and the failure to ferment trehalose in conventional media observed for the case isolate are atypical for this species both in our experience and in previous reports (2,8). Laboratories using the API 20S Strep system (2,4,8) have reported this species as inulin negative and an acidifier of trehalose, but one investigator (4) also noted acidification of inulin for an isolate which they called "Helcococcus-like." Failure to ferment trehalose in unsupplemented heart infusion-based media has been reported previously (2).…”

A Rare Case of Fournier’s Gangrene caused by <em>Helcococcus kunzii</em>

“…Helcococcus kunzii is a part of normal skin fl ora usually found in the lower limbs [2,5,6] . It can cause opportunistic infections mostly in immunocompromised patients.…”

“…Host risk factors are also important; diabetes and vascular insuffi ciency are associated with colonization of lower limbs with H. kunzii [5,6] . A study on the incidence of skin colonization demonstrated that 10% (12/120) of the foot specimens collected from podiatry patients, twothirds of whom were diabetic, were positive for H. kunzii [6] . In our patient we believe that uncontrolled diabetes was the major risk factor.…”

Infectious endocarditis caused by Helcococcus kunzii in a vascular patient: a case report and literature review

“…Helcococcus kunzii is a facultative anaerobic bacterium that was first described by Collins et al in 1993, and was initially considered as a commensal of the human skin [ 1 – 3 ]. Recent reports of invasive infections caused by H. kunzii indicate that this microorganism has to be considered as an opportunistic pathogen that can be involved in severe infections in human [ 4 – 6 ].…”