This bacterial infection is caused by Mycobacterium marinum.
Marinum is a relative of the organism which causes tuberculosis.
This lesion is often referred to as a swimming pool granuloma.
Atypical mycobacterial infections may cause life-threatening
disease in people with weakened immune systems (immunocompromised
individuals).
Review Date: 05/25/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor
in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine,
Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine,
Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD,
MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
