Table of Contents
Is erythrasma fungal or bacterial?
Erythrasma is a bacterial infection of the skin typically caused by Corynebacterium minutissimum. This pathogen infects the stratum corneum in warm and wet areas of the skin. Most commonly, the axillary, inguinal, and interdigital regions are affected.
What is the cause of erythrasma?
Erythrasma is caused by the Corynebacterium minutissimum bacteria. The bacteria normally live on the skin and can grow in warm, moist areas. That’s why it’s commonly found in folds of the skin.
What is a erythrasma?
Erythrasma is a skin condition that causes red or brown patches. A lot of people have erythrasma, but some people are more likely to get it.
Is erythrasma a fungus?
Erythrasma is a common chronic skin condition affecting the skin folds. The slowly enlarging patches of pink to brown dry skin are caused by an infection by the bacterium Corynebacterium minutissimum.
Does erythrasma go away on its own?
An erythrasma infection is typically self-limiting and will often resolve on its own without treatment. While complications are rare, erythrasma can sometimes co-occur with contact dermatitis, a fungal infection, or an unrelated bacterial infection.
What is erythrasma and what causes it?
Erythrasma is a bacterial infection of the skin typically caused by Corynebacterium minutissimum. This pathogen infects the stratum corneum in warm and wet areas of the skin.
When is skin biopsy indicated in the workup of erythrasma?
Skin biopsy may be useful if the diagnosis is unclear, though identifying the filaments and rods in the stratum corneum with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining can sometimes be difficult (Figure 2, Figure 3) Erythrasma is often considered a microscopically “invisible dermatosis,” as the epidermis and dermis may appear normal on routine histology.
How is erythrasma of the groin differentiated from dermatophytosis?
The coral-red fluorescence with Wood’s lamp exam helps distinguish erythrasma from seborrheic dermatitis and inverse psoriasis. KOH prep may be required to distinguish erythrasma from dermatophytosis of the toe webs. Erythrasma of the groin is easily distinguished from tinea cruris due to the scaling border of tinea cruris. Prognosis
How long can erythrasma remain asymptomatic?
The disease can remain asymptomatic for years or it can undergo periodic exacerbations even after antibiotic treatment. Benzoyl peroxide wash or topical clindamycin solution is effective for treating localized symptomatic erythrasma.