Open AccessPolymyxin B-Induced Diffuse Cutaneous Hyperpigmentation
Author(s) -
Sandeep Lahiry,
Shouvik Choudhury,
Ayan Mukherjee,
Prajesh Kiran Bhunya,
Moumita Bala
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of clinical and diagnostic research
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2249-782X
pISSN - 0973-709X
DOI - 10.7860/jcdr/2017/24278.9213
Subject(s) - microbiology and biotechnology , acinetobacter baumannii , antibiotics , polymyxin , medicine , pseudomonas aeruginosa , polymyxin b , klebsiella , enterobacter , biology , bacteria , escherichia coli , biochemistry , genetics , gene
Polymyxin B is a polypeptide-antibiotic, primarily used for resistant Gram-negative infections, first obtained from bacterium Bacillus polymyxa in the late 1940s. Antibiotic spectrum are restricted to mainly gram negative bacterias like Enterobacter, E. coli, Klebsiella, Salmonella, Pasteurella, Bordetella, Shigella ; and particularly organisms like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, which are extremely potent to acquire antibiotic resistance. Side effects include neurotoxicity and acute renal tubular necrosis. Here, we present a rare case of skin hyper-pigmentation in a 65-year-old elderly male of Indian origin, diagnosed as a case of Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumonia, treated with intravenous antibiotics. The manifestations were observed after 4 days of Polymyxin B therapy initiation. All other concomitant drugs, infections, or immunologic disorders that, could have caused this symptom, were carefully excluded. An objective causality assessment reveals that, the cutaneous hyperpigmentation was possibly associated with Polymyxin B therapy, though further studies may be needed to explain the underlying mechanism.