This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Strobel, S. Articles by McClellan, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Strobel, S. Articles by McClellan, S.

Unusual Infection in the Foot of a Barefoot Gardener

Stephen Strobel, MD ^*, Drew Belpedio, DPM , Edward Sharrer, DPM , Linda Pepe, MS, PA ^* and Scott McClellan, MS, MD ^*

^* Department of Pathology, St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, Toledo, OH.
Department of Podiatry, St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, Toledo, OH.
Private practice, Toledo, OH.

Corresponding author: Stephen Strobel, MD, Department of Pathology, St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, 2222 Cherry St, Toledo, OH 43608. (E-mail: stephen_strobel{at}mhsnr.org)

Abstract

We report a case of an unusual and unsuspected chronic infection creating a soft-tissue mass in the foot of a 35-year-old woman. The causative agent, Mycobacterium gordonae, is usually encountered as a laboratory contaminant. Only rarely does it manifest as a clinical infection. The patient’s presumed predisposing risk factor was a history of barefoot gardening. An iatrogenic source, corticosteroid injections, was also considered. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 98(4): 311–313, 2008)