Erysipeloid

1
Erysipeloid

• Occupational disease of meat and fish handlers
• Caused by
• Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae

2
Morphology/Physiology

• Gram positive anaerobic bacillus

3
Morphology/Physiology

• Grows easily on most laboratory media.
• Small grayish alpha-hemolytic colonies on blood
  agar

4
Transmission and symptoms

• Acquired through skin abrasions
• Inflammatory violaceous lesion at the infection
  site (usually fingers or hand)
• Lesion is pruritic and painful (burning,
  throbbing)
• Lesion is non supporative

5
Diagnosis and treatment

• Diagnosis
• History and lesion
• Culture of specimen
• Treatment
• Penicillin