Erythrasma Owing to an Unusual Pathogen

Erythrasma is a superficial infection of the skin caused by a coryneform bacterium. Corynebacterium minutissimum is the causal bacterium that is usually incriminated. Some underlying diseases seem to favor the occurrence of this mild, chronic infection. Report of a Case. A 60-year-old woman presented in June 1994, suffering from disseminated cutaneous lesions for a few months. She had no underlying illness or diabetes. She was taking no medications at the time of presentation. The first lesions appeared a few months before presentation and involved the axillae and groin, extending centrifugally. She sought dermatologic advice because of esthetic discomfort. She had large, well-marginated plaques ( Figure 1 and Figure 2 ). The patches had disseminated slowly and involved not only the axillae and groin, but also the arms, abdomen, thighs and legs, neck, and back. The lesions were irregularly shaped and symptomless. Results of the clinical examination were normal. No adenopathy was