Posttraumatic Aeromonas hydrophila osteomyelitis.

\s=b\Aeromonas hydrophila is a gram-negative organism that is the causative agent in several clinical infections. Although it has been reported to cause osteomyelitis in immunocompromised patients, it has not been reported to cause this in the normal host. We describe two patients in whom acute osteomyelitis developed following trauma in freshwater lakes. Cultures yielded A hydrophila, and both patients responded to a two-week course of parenteral antibiotics followed by oral tetracycline hydrochloride in the outpatient setting. Since A hydrophila is a common inhabitant of freshwater lakes, it should be suspected in infections occurring in this epidemiologic setting. (Arch Intern Med 1983;143:2073-2074) Mromonas hydrophila is a gram-negative bacillus that "*"* has recently been recognized as the causative agent of a variety of infections in both immunocompromised and nor¬ mal hosts. Although the major source for isolation of A hydrophila has been the gastrointestinal (Gl) tract of both symptomatic and asymptomatic persons,1 it has also caused soft-tissue and muscle infections, septicemia, meningitis, and endocarditis. Since soil and water serve as the primary reservoir of Aeromonas strains,1"4 it is not surprising that infections with such organisms frequently follow exposure in these settings. Aeromonas hydrophila osteomyelitis has been reported in two girls with acute leukemia5,6 but, to our knowledge, has not been described in the normal host. We report two cases of culture-proven A hydrophila osteo¬ myelitis that developed in previously healthy young pa¬ tients who sustained traumatic injuries in freshwater lakes.