infectious diseases
Erysipeloid
Diagnosis of Erysipeloid
Culture Polymerase chain reaction amplification for rapid diagnosis Culture of a full-thickness biopsy specimen is superior to needle aspiration of the advancing edge of a lesion because organisms are located only in deeper parts of the skin. Culture of exudate obtained by abrading a florid papule may be diagnostic. Isolation from synovial fluid or blood is necessary for diagnosis of arthritis or endocarditis due toE. rhusiopathiaeinfection.E. rhusiopathiaemay be misidentified as lactobacilli. Polymerase chain reaction amplification may aid rapid diagnosis of erysipeloid. Rapid diagnosis is particularly important if endocarditis is suspected because treatment of endocarditis due toE. rhusiopathiaeis often different from the usual empiric treatment of gram-positive bacillary endocarditis (eg,E. rhusiopathiaeis resistant tovancomycin, which is typically used). 