Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.
Frederick Hecht, MD, lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Hecht is a Pediatrician and Medical Geneticist and is certified by both the American Boards of Pediatrics and Medical Genetics. Dr. Hecht was born and raised in Baltimore and attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. and the Sorbonne at the University of Paris receiving his BA degree cum laude with distinction from Dartmouth.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
What is the prognosis for those infected with Mycobacterium marinum?
The prognosis is excellent for a complete cure with a proper, full course of oral antibiotics and good medical follow-up with your physician. There are no long-term problems after treatment.
How do I find a specialist?
Specialists including dermatologists, infectious-disease physicians, and
rheumatologists may have additional expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of
this rare disorder.
What are possible complications from Mycobacterium marinum?
M. marinum infections are usually localized and typically do not spread past
the skin in healthy people. Most patients with a normal immune system don't
experience other complications. However, undetected or untreated, the infection
may progress and cause deeper and more longstanding infections. Patients with an
impaired immune system (immunocompromised) may be much more prone to serious
complications such as spread of infections to involve the bone marrow and
internal organs.
Some rare potential problems include infection of the
underlying bone called osteomyelitis, infection of the deep muscle tendons
called tenosynovitis, inflammation of the joints called arthritis, and
widespread bodily infections called disseminated disease.
Do fish get infected with Mycobacterium marinum?
Yes. There are probably two different types of M. marinum. One type only causes a
longstanding (chronic) progressive disease in fish without affecting humans. The
second type, which can infect humans, seems to cause a deadly sudden illness in
fish.
What else could it be?
Other conditions may mimic or be confused with M. marinum infections.
Possible other diagnosis include common things like bug bites, spider bites,
foreign body granuloma, bacterial infections like staph or E. coli, fungal
infections, tumors, fungal infections, and others. Additional diagnosis include
cowpox infection, leishmaniasis, leprosy, sarcoidosis, and sporotrichosis. More
advanced cases may be mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis, gout, traumatic tendon
injury, deep fungal infections, or cancer.
Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, warmth, swelling, redness and pain. There are over 100 types of
arthritis including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, gout,
and pseudogout.
Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone. Potential causes include injections around the bone, fractures that puncture the skin, recent surgeries, and bacterial infections that travel from other areas of the body, spreading through the blood to the bone. Symptoms include pain, fever, chills, stiffness, and nausea. Treatment involves antibiotics and pain medications. Surgery is sometimes necessary.
Septic arthritis, or infectious arthritis, is infection of one or more joints by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Symptoms and signs of septic arthritis include fever, joint pain, chills, swelling, redness, warmth, and stiffness. Treatment involves antibiotics and the drainage of the infected joint.
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