PMC9125631_01
Necrotizing fasciitis and gas gangrene due to Aeromonas hydrophila showing (A) Lower limb view on presentation, with blackening, blistering and peeling of skin (B) Gram-smear of intra-operative wound tissue, 1000 x (C) Colony morphology on blood agar and (D) Colony morphology on MacConkey agar.
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There was swelling of the left leg up to mid-thigh associated with foul-smelling discharge from the wound, several erythematous patches and blebs, with blackening, blistering, and peeling of skin accompanied by loss of sensation and gross loss of motor function (Fig. 1A). Intra-operative tissue biopsy showed lots of lysed soft-tissue material with many gram-negative bacilli lying singly (Fig. 1B). Culture on blood agar after overnight incubation revealed pure growth of 1-3 mm, translucent, smooth, beta-hemolytic colonies with 'double-zones' of hemolysis (Fig. 1C). MacConkey agar showed pure growth of non-lactose fermentative, motile, gram-negative, oxidase-positive bacilli identified as Aeromonas hydrophila by Vitek-2 identification system (bioMerieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France) (Fig. 1D).