Skin Abscess due toSerratia marcescensin an Immunocompetent Patient after Receiving a Tattoo

Abstract

The incidence of skin infections caused by Serratia marcescens is extremely low and such infections are typically observed in immunocompromised patients. The clinical manifestations of these infections include cellulitis, abscesses, fluctuant nodules, or granulomatous lesions. Infections caused by S. marcescens are very difficult to treat due to their resistance to many antibiotics, which often leads to specific and prolonged treatment. Infections after receiving a tattoo are very rare and are caused by unhygienic conditions or the inexperience of the tattooist. In this paper we present the case of a 32-year-old male with no comorbidity, who presented an abscess caused by S. marcescens in a area that was tattooed one month earlier. The case was resolved with surgery and antimicrobial therapy that was based on the antibiogram. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a S. marcescens skin infection following a tattoo, in the absence of immunosuppression.

Severe and Progressive Cellulitis Caused by Serratia marcescens Following a Dog Scratch

“…37 One case of an abscess caused by a tattoo was reported. 38 There are 12 reports of occurrences subsequent to iatrogenic trauma, including 5 that occurred after surgery. 25,33,39-41 Other iatrogenic-associated cases followed skin or muscle biopsies, 42-44 IV catheter placement, 45,46 arteriovenous fistula, 26 and dermal filler injection.…”

Atypical Stroke-Like Presentation in a Critically-Ill Patient With Serratia marcescens Bullous Cellulitis

“…Serratia marcescens , part of the Enterobacteriaceae family, encompasses a gram-negative bacillus, a facultative anaerobe, that can survive in nutrient-poor environments such as disinfectant agents, water, or pipes [ 5 , 6 ]. Due to contamination of S. marcescens in common hospital environments, appropriate sterile precautions should be taken to prevent nosocomial infections [ 6 ].…”

“…Due to contamination of S. marcescens in common hospital environments, appropriate sterile precautions should be taken to prevent nosocomial infections [ 6 ]. These bacteria commonly colonize within the respiratory, gastrointestinal, or genitourinary tracts and can lead to endocarditis or sepsis [ 5 ]. Patients who develop bullous cellulitis most commonly have positive culture results for Streptococcus pyogenes , however, Staphylococcus aureus is another etiology [ 6 ].…”

Alopecia difusa infantil causada por Serratia marcences

“…No entanto a incidência de infecções por S. marcescens é baixíssima, ocorrendo majoritariamente em pacientes imunossuprimidos e quase nunca em pacientes imunocompetentes, sendo escassos relatos sobre pacientes hígidos acometidos pela bactéria [13][14][15][16] . Casos de infecções cutâneas foram relatados, nos quais traumatismo anterior, mordidas de animais ou a presença de úlceras foram apontados como facilitadores, atuando como porta de entrada para S. marcescens 14,15,17 .…”

“…A S. marcescens foi relatada como importante agente colonizadora do trato gastrointestinal, respiratório e geniturinário, podendo causar infecções oportunistas, septicemia e endocardite, nosocomiais ou comunitárias. Infecções cutâneas raramente são relatadas 6,14,15,18,19 . Em relato de caso recentemente publicado, foi descrita infecção cutânea facial após injeção de ácido hialurônico em paciente imunocompetente, sendo o trauma cutâneo e falta de higiene fatores determinantes nas causas da infecção 17 .…”