Turicella otitidis as an Unusual Agent Causing Palmoplantar Eczema: An Emerging Pathogen

Authors

• Dimitra Koumaki Dermatology Department, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece
• Vasiliki Koumaki Microbiology Department, Medical School of Athens, Athens, Greece
• Sotirios Boumpoucheropoulos Department of Medical Oncology, Agioi Anargyroi, General Oncological Hospital, Athens, Greece
• Alexander Katoulis 2nd Department of Dermatology and Venereology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, “Attikon” General University Hospital
• Panagiotis Bitados Medical School of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
• Maria Stefanidou Dermatology Department, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece
• Konstantinos Krasagakis Dermatology Department, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece

dkoumaki@yahoo.gr

Keywords

Abstract

Introduction: Turicella otitidis, described as a new species over 20 years ago, has been isolated mainly from the external ear canal and middle ear fluid. Here, we report the first case of palmoplantar eczema related to T. otitidis.
Case presentation: Here, we report the first case of palmoplantar eczema in a 74-year-old female related to T. otitidis.
Conclusions: The question as to whether T. otitidis is a potential pathogen in cases of dyshidrotic eczema is still open, but this could be better elucidated if corynebacteria were speciated more often.