Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis with ecthyma gangrenosum and pseudomembranous pharyngolaryngitis in a 5-month-old boy

Ecthyma Gangrenosum in Children With Cancer: Diagnosis at a Glance: A Retrospective Study From the Infection Working Group of Italian Pediatric Hematology Oncology Association

BACKGROUND

To depict ecthyma gangrenosum (EG) clinical presentation and evolution in a large multicenter pediatric retrospective collection of children with malignancies or bone marrow failure syndromes, to facilitate early diagnosis.

METHODS

EG episodes diagnosed in the period 2009-2019 were identified by a retrospective review of clinical charts at centers belonging to the Italian Pediatric Hematology Oncology Association.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight cases of EG occurring in children (male/female 16/22; median age 5.2 years) with hematologic malignancy (29), allogeneic stem cell transplantation (2) or relapsed/refractory solid tumor (3) were collected. The involved sites were: perineal region (19), limbs (10), trunk (6), head and the iliac crest (3). Bacteremia was present in 22 patients. Overall, the germs isolated were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (30), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (3) and Escherichia coli (1); 31% of them were multidrug-resistant. All patients received antibacterial treatment, while surgery was performed in 24 patients (63.1%). Predisposing underlying conditions for EG were severe neutropenia (97.3%), corticosteroid treatment (71%) and iatrogenic diabetes (23.7%). All patients recovered, but EG recurred in 5 patients. Nine patients (24%) showed sequelae (deep scars, with muscle atrophy in 2). Four patients (10.5%) died, 1 due to relapse of EG with Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae co-infection and 3 due to the progression of the underlying disease.

CONCLUSIONS

EG requires early recognition and a proper and timely treatment to obtain the recovery and to avoid larger necrotic lesions, eventually evolving in scarring sequelae.

Ecthyma gangrenosum on the face of a malnourished child with Pseudomonas sepsis: Simulating Cancrum oris

Introduction

Ecthyma gangrenosum (EG) is a cutaneous lesion commonly caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa that involves mainly the lower limbs and gluteal region, seen more in immunosuppressed patients with neutropenia. Cancrum oris (Noma) is a gangrenous necrosis of the face that begins as a gingival ulcer and progresses rapidly to destroy contiguous tissues in malnourished children.

Case Presentation

This article reports a case of facial EG which was similar to Noma in a malnourished child: a 16-month old girl with fever, cough, weight loss, watery stool and swelling on right cheek. She was febrile, pale, wasted with bilateral pitting pedal oedema. She had a solitary circumscribed round necrotic lesion, with surrounding hyperaemia on the right malar area which extended to destroy the right ala nasi. No intra-oral rashes but she had left ear discharge. She received blood transfusion, antibiotics, antiseptic wound care and nutritional rehabilitation.

Management and Outcome

Swabs of the lesion and ear discharge both revealed Gram-negative bacilli and culture yielded P. aeruginosa. Retroviral, Mantoux and Gene Xpert tests were negative. She had moderate anaemia, normal white blood cell count, and neutropaenia. Parenteral ceftriazone was changed to ciprofloxacin based on sensitivity results and lack of clinical response. The wound healed with residual scarring and partial destruction of right ala nasi.

Discussion

Although this patient had facial necrosis to suggest Noma, she did not have initial oral involvement, and clinical features such as Pseudomonas sepsis and neutropaenia suggested EG. Facial necrosis in malnourished children may be due to EG.

Disseminated Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis as presenting diagnosis of X-linked agammaglobulinaemia in a previously well 16-month-old child

We report a previously healthy 16-month-old child who presented to us with membranous pharyngitis and ecthyma gangrenosum. In this patient, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from throat swab, cerebrospinal fluid, skin swab, urine, blood and synovial fluid in a single admission. In further workup, this child was diagnosed as a case of X-linked agammaglobulinaemia. The child was treated successfully with antipseudomonal antibiotics for 6 weeks and intravenous immunoglobulin.

Ecthyma gangrenosum, a skin manifestation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis in a previously healthy child: A case report

RATIONALE

Ecthyma gangrenosum (Eg) is a necrotic lesion that is mostly seen in immunocompromised patients. It reflects a severe sepsis, possibly caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa).

PATIENT CONCERNS

A healthy 3-year-old girl admitted to the Pediatric Emergency Department presented a sepsis-associated purpura with neurological and respiratory distress.

INTERVENTIONS

An empiric antibiotherapy (anti-meningococcal) was prescribed.

DIAGNOSES

Forty-eight hours after admission, blood and wound cultures were positive for Pa. As a result, the decision was made to change the antibiotic therapy.Unfortunately, on day 3, the patient died. Exhaustive immunologic tests are presently being carried out.

OUTCOMES

Eg caused by Pa is uncommon in healthy children, and purpura sepsis is usually caused by Neisseria meningitides infection.

LESSONS

Eg should be recognized rapidly so that the appropriate treatment can be prescribed as quickly as possible.

A case of perineal ecthyma gangrenosum

Ecthyma gangrenosum is a skin lesion associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A previously healthy one-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with varicella 10 days ago was admitted to our hospital with complaints of diarrhea, green ear discharge and new lesions in the diaper area. Intravenous meropenem and amikacin had been previously initiated. Physical examination revealed greenish, well bordered necrotic ulcers on both gluteal areas and the perianal area. Pseudomonas aeruginosa grew in wound culture. A colostomy was opened due to recalcitrant diarrhea and ulcers. The patient remitted in one month and was discharged. T lymphocyte subgroups and immunoglobulins were found to be normal on immunologic evaluation. We presented this case to draw attention to the fact that ecthyma gangrenosum due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa may occur in the diaper area and that sepsis due to Pseudomonas should be investigated.