Mycobacterium marinum Infection

Excerpt

Mycobacterium marinum is a non-tuberculous mycobacterium first isolated from tubercles obtained at the necropsy of dead saltwater fish in an aquarium in Philadelphia in 1926. It causes a tuberculosis-like illness in fish. In humans, infection occurs when injured skin is exposed to an aqueous environment contaminated with M. marinum. This infection presents as a nodular granulomatous disease, which can spread along lymphatics similar to a sporothrix infection. M. marinum is found in plants, soil, and fish. The infections are usually limited to the skin and soft tissues and occur in immunocompetent patients. Disseminated M. marinum infections in patients with HIV/AIDS have infrequently been reported.