Cutaneous manifestations of waterborne infections

Abstract

Although waterborne pathogens are relatively uncommon causes of cutaneous infections, these agents are being recognized with increasing frequency. Humans are exposed to water through a variety of recreational and occupational activities. Poor sanitary conditions in developing nations place the human populations at constant risk. Some aquatically acquired skin infections respond well to therapy, whereas other diseases do not require a specific treatment. However, many of these infections are rare, and effective therapy has not been defined. Gram-negative bacilli constitute the largest group of aquatic pathogens that cause skin infections. Other agents include mycobacteria, fungi, viruses, and amoeba and other parasites. Toxins from aquatic animals and parasites are associated with cutaneous diseases. Because waterborne skin infections, which are caused by a wide variety of pathogens, occur infrequently, most of the literature on the topic are case reports. This paper reviews the aquatic pathogens associated with cutaneous infections in humans and the available treatments.

Water quality evaluation of Himalayan Rivers of Kumaun region, Uttarakhand, India

“…Human waste contamination in water causes waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, typhoid and hepatitis (Theron and Cloete 2002;Elko et al 2003;Sood et al 2008). According to BIS, the coliform count should be\10 colonies/100 ml and absence of faecal coliform in water samples.…”

Tetanus after envenomations caused by freshwater stingrays

“…hydrophila is the species most frequently associated with infections in this specific environment and rarely can cause severe soft tissue infections, such as rapidly progressive cellulites or necrotizing fasciiti (Weber et al, 1995;Hiransuthikul et al, 2005). It is a gram-negative aerobic bacillus capable of producing several virulence factors including cytotoxins, enterotoxins, hemagglutinins and exoenzymes (Elko et al, 2003;Vinh and Embil, 2005;Domingos et al, 2011).…”

“…The disease often suppurates and may progress to bullae formation, skin necrosis, fasciitis, and myonecrosis and often require surgical debridement and intravenous antibiotic treatment (Elko et al, 2003;Vinh and Embil, 2005), can also evolve with severe swelling and induration, often with pus discharge, blisters and necrosis. Systemic signs and symptoms are common.…”

“…Systemic signs and symptoms are common. Evolutions to rapidly progressive myonecrosis with sepsis, shock, and death have been reported (Elko et al, 2003;DiNubile and Lipsky, 2004;Vinh and Embil et al, 2005).…”

“…This last complication is a result of the stingray injury in freshwater environments, which evolve with a simple abrasions or puncture wounds and subsequently with local infection with varying severity, typically at the end of the member (Elko et al, 2003;Vinh and Embil, 2005).…”