Open AccessA Rare Case of Fournier’s Gangrene caused by <em>Helcococcus kunzii</em>
Author(s) -
Mazen Badawi,
Maha M. Al-Alawi
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
saudi journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1658-5763
pISSN - 1658-7367
DOI - 10.32790/sjim.2016.6.2.6
Subject(s) - fournier gangrene , gangrene , klebsiella pneumoniae , medicine , bacteroides fragilis , fasciitis , coccus (insect) , microbiology and biotechnology , sex organ , dermatology , biology , escherichia coli , surgery , necrotising fasciitis , antibiotics , ecology , biochemistry , genetics , gene
Fournier’s gangrene is an acute rapidly progressing form of necrotizing fasciitis involving the genitalia and perianal regions. Trauma and local infection are the most common risk factors especially in the setting of diabetes. It is usually a polymicrobial infection caused by skin flora of the genital area. The most commonly isolated aerobic microorganism are Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus, while Bacteroides fragilis is a common culprit from the anaerobic group. We report a patient with Fournier’s gangrene caused by Helcococcus kunzii; anaerobic gram-positive coccus not known to be associated with Fournier’s gangrene before.