Mycobacterium marinum as a rare cause of soft tissue infections of the upper extremity: A multidisciplinary multicenter approach to symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Background

Infections with Mycobacteriummarinum (M. Marinum) are rare but clinically significant and difficult to diagnose skin and soft tissue infections, typically occurring after contact with contaminated water. The hand is most frequently affected, particularly in individuals with regular exposure to aquariums, leading to the term “fish tank finger”. This study explores the pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of M. Marinum infections of the hand and presents a case series of seven patients from Eastern Saxony, including a region-specific antibiotic susceptibility analysis.