Mycobacterium Marinum Follow-up

Updated: May 23, 2017
  • Author: Shirin A Mazumder, MD; Chief Editor: Mark R Wallace, MD, FACP, FIDSA  more...
  • Print
Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

Patients with M marinum infection are treated in an outpatient setting.

Follow-up visits with patients should be scheduled weekly until they begin to respond to therapy and then biweekly until the infection is fully cured.

Next:

Inpatient & Outpatient Medications

Continue combination therapy or monotherapy 1-2 months after the infection resolves.

Previous
Next:

Transfer

Transfer to other facilities is unnecessary.

Refer patients with M marinum infection to an infectious diseases physician or a dermatologist in an outpatient clinical setting.

Previous
Next:

Deterrence/Prevention

People who work near salt water should take precautions to avoid abrasions, trauma, or bites from fish and marine animals.

People who work in aquariums should wear gloves if they are cleaning tanks or expect to encounter trauma to their hands or feet.

If abrasions or bites occur, cleanse the skin with an antibacterial preparation and dress with an appropriate bandage.

Recommended concentrations of free chlorine in swimming pool water should be kept between 0.4 and 1 mg/L. [12]

Previous
Next:

Complications

See the list below:

  • Persistent ulceration or suppuration
  • Osteomyelitis
  • Tenosynovitis
  • Arthritis
  • Disseminated infection
  • Amputation of involved digit
Previous
Next:

Prognosis

With treatment, M marinum infection carries an excellent prognosis. A study from France reported cure in 87% of cases. Treatment failure was significantly related to deeper-structure involvement and ulcerative skin lesions but not to acquired antimicrobial resistance.

Clinical presentations and outcomes of M marinum infections in patients with HIV infection did not differ from those in patients without HIV infection.

Previous
Next:

Patient Education

Patients with M marinum infection are not infectious and are cured with proper treatment.

Educate people who work near salt water to cleanse their skin with an antibacterial preparation and to dress abrasions or bites with an appropriate bandage.

Previous