Haemorrhagic Gangrene of Skin Caused by Aeromonas hydrophila

ABSTRACT

Aeromonas hydrophila is a motile gram negative rod which exists in soil and water. It can cause septicemia in persons with severe immune deficiency. Occasionally it is one of the etiologic agents of the gangrenous skin disease similar to the gangrene caused by Vibrio vulnificus septicemia. A 42-year-old farmer had been suffering from liver cirrhosis for about 3 years. He had episodes of melena and hematernesis for 2 days prior to coming to the emergency room but had no skin lesions. On the 2nd hospital day, painful, erythematous and edematous skin lesions developed on his left arm and on the 3rd hospital day, several purpuras and hemorrhagic bullae developed on his left arm and leg. In the tissue, blood and blister fluid, numerous gram negative rods were identified by direct smear and culture. The bacterial identification studies from blood and blister fluid revealed A. hydrephda.