Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (629 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
An ulcerative pyoderma usually caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection at the site of minor trauma. (Dorland, 27th ed)
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Streptococcal Infections; Skin Diseases, Bacterial; Pyoderma
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 435 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Ecthyma” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 55 of them (12.6%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 177 records.
Reviews account for 26 records (6.0%) and meta-analyses for 0. Randomized controlled trials number 1 (0.2%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 177 |
| 2000-2009 | 83 |
| 2010-2019 | 120 |
| 2020 onward | 55 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 26 | 6.0% |
| Meta-analyses | 0 | 0.0% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 1 | 0.2% |
Method: PubMed query "Ecthyma"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in infectious diseases
Infectious disease evidence combines microbiology, epidemiology and clinical trials. Laboratory studies identify pathogens and how they cause harm; surveillance and outbreak investigations describe who is affected and how infection spreads; trials establish whether treatments and vaccines work. Results depend on place and time, because pathogens evolve and resistance patterns and population immunity change. Check when and where the data were collected, how cases were defined and how up to date the evidence is.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Successful treatment of Fusarium solani ecthyma gangrenosum in a patient affected by leukocyte adhesion deficiency type 1 with granulocytes transfusions | 2010 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 20 | cc by PMID 20929531 · DOI · PMC2959010 |
| A case report of double etiology of ecthyma gangrenosum: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis in an immunocompromised child occurred during influenza evolution | 2019 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 7 | cc by PMID 31096489 · DOI · PMC6531273 |
| Multidisciplinary management of disseminated Exophiala dermatitidis mycosis in an infant with mixed phenotype acute leukemia: a case report | 2022 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 4 | cc by PMID 36274136 · DOI · PMC9590134 |
Successful treatment of Fusarium solani ecthyma gangrenosum in a patient affected by leukocyte adhesion deficiency type 1 with granulocytes transfusions [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundEcthyma gangrenosum (EG) manifests as a skin lesion affecting patients suffering extreme neutropenia and is commonly associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in immunocompromised patients.
- Closing excerpt
- ConclusionWe propose that granulocytes pockets transfusions will be beneficial to heal EG especially in severely immunocompromised patients.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (170 words)
BackgroundEcthyma gangrenosum (EG) manifests as a skin lesion affecting patients suffering extreme neutropenia and is commonly associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in immunocompromised patients. Leukocyte adhesion deficiency I (LAD I) which count among primary immunodeficiency syndromes of the innate immunity, is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized in its severe phenotype by a complete defect in CD18 expression on neutrophils, delayed cord separation, chronic skin ulcers mainly due to recurrent bacterial and fungal infections, leucocytosis with high numbers of circulating neutrophils and an accumulation of abnormally low number of neutrophils at sites of infection.Case presentationWe report at our knowledge the first case of a child affected by LAD-1, who experienced during her disease course a multi-bacterial and fungal EG lesion caused by fusarium solani. Despite targeted antibiotics and anti-fungi therapy, the lesion extended for as long as 18 months and only massive granulocytes pockets transfusions in association with G-CSF had the capacity to cure this lesion.ConclusionWe propose that granulocytes pockets transfusions will be beneficial to heal EG especially in severely immunocompromised patients.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 20929531 · DOI · PMC2959010
A case report of double etiology of ecthyma gangrenosum: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis in an immunocompromised child occurred during influenza evolution [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- RationaleEcthyma gangrenosum is a cutaneous infection, most commonly occurring during sepsis evolution with Pseudomonas aeruginosa on an immunocompromised background.
- Closing excerpt
- The evolution was favorable under broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment and surgical excision.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (232 words)
RationaleEcthyma gangrenosum is a cutaneous infection, most commonly occurring during sepsis evolution with Pseudomonas aeruginosa on an immunocompromised background. There have been rare case reports in previously healthy children and rarer are the cases with double etiology.Patient concernsWe present the case of a female Caucasian patient, aged 1 year and 8 months, who developed severe sepsis during flu evolution with predominant respiratory and cerebral manifestations. On admission, at skin level, there was noticed a necrotic coccygeal ulceration (with rapid increasing dimensions 0.5/0.5 cm in 24 hours), and with the transformation from a dry necrosis in a sphacelus at the periphery and progression of necrosis in depth.DiagnosesThe patient was diagnosed with ecthyma gangrenosum from which Pseudomonsa aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis were isolated from the samples that were harvested intraoperatively, decision that was taken considering the appearance of CT scan and the extremely rapid expansion of necrosis. Excisional debridement with necrectomy, lavage, and dressing being performed. The invasion of the fascia was excluded intraoperatively.InterventionsTreatment with Meropenem for 14 days was initiated, as well as amikacin and linezolid, the latter being replaced with teicoplanin for 14 days. Red blood cells transfusion, intravenous immunoglobulins, anticonvulsants were also administered.OutcomesUnder treatment the evolution was favorable.LessonsThis case brings into discussion a double etiology of ecthyma gangrenosum, in a previously healthy child that occurred in the evolution of influenza. The evolution was favorable under broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment and surgical excision.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 31096489 · DOI · PMC6531273
Multidisciplinary management of disseminated Exophiala dermatitidis mycosis in an infant with mixed phenotype acute leukemia: a case report [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundExophiala dermatitidis is a dematiaceous fungus isolated from various environmental sources.
- Closing excerpt
- dermatitidis mycosis in the neutropenic infant was successfully managed with a multidisciplinary treatment consisting of multiagent antifungal treatment, ELT, and surgery.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (227 words)
BackgroundExophiala dermatitidis is a dematiaceous fungus isolated from various environmental sources. Systemic E. dermatitidis infections can lead to fatal outcomes, and treatment has not yet been standardized. Although E. dermatitidis is also known to cause cutaneous infection, it has not been previously reported to appear as ecthyma gangrenosum (EG), an uncommon cutaneous lesion in neutropenic patients that is mainly caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Case presentationA 2-month-old male infant with mixed-phenotype acute leukemia presented with prolonged fever unresponsive to antibacterial and antifungal agents during myelosuppression due to remission induction therapy. He also presented with skin lesions on the left wrist and left lower quadrant of the abdomen. The abdominal lesion gradually turned black and necrotic, which was consistent with the findings of the EG. E. dermatitidis was isolated from the blood, stool, wrist skin, and endotracheal aspirate. During hematopoietic recovery, consolidation in both lungs was evident. Multiagent antifungal treatment failed to eliminate E. dermatitidis from blood. In order to salvage the central venous catheter, ethanol lock therapy (ELT) was adopted, following which the blood culture became negative. The abdominal lesion that evolved as a necrotic mass connecting the small intestine and subcutaneous tissue adjacent to the skin was surgically resected. After these interventions, the general condition improved.ConclusionDisseminated E. dermatitidis mycosis in the neutropenic infant was successfully managed with a multidisciplinary treatment consisting of multiagent antifungal treatment, ELT, and surgery.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 36274136 · DOI · PMC9590134
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Ecthyma gangrenosum and ecthyma-like lesions: review article [4]
- Research article Nonpseudomonal ecthyma gangrenosum [5]
- Research article Ecthyma gangrenosum: considerations in a previously healthy child [6]
- Research article Two cases of pyoderma (ecthyma) gengraenosum associated with the presence of an abnormal serumprotein (beta-2-A-paraprotein). With a review of the literature [7]
- Research article Serious Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in healthy children: case report and review of the literature [8]
- Research article Ecthyma gangrenosum in a patient with hypogammaglobulinemia [9]
References
- Mellouli F, Ksouri H, Barbouche R, Maamer M, Hamed LB, Hmida S, et al.. Successful treatment of Fusarium solani ecthyma gangrenosum in a patient affected by leukocyte adhesion deficiency type 1 with granulocytes transfusions. . 2010. PMID 20929531 · DOI · PMC2959010
- Birlutiu V, Birlutiu RM, Baicu M, Iancu GM. A case report of double etiology of ecthyma gangrenosum: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis in an immunocompromised child occurred during influenza evolution. . 2019. PMID 31096489 · DOI · PMC6531273
- Nakatani R, Ashiarai M, Yoshihara H, Yada K, Nozaki T, Ushigusa T, et al.. Multidisciplinary management of disseminated Exophiala dermatitidis mycosis in an infant with mixed phenotype acute leukemia: a case report. . 2022. PMID 36274136 · DOI · PMC9590134
- Vaiman M, Lazarovitch T, Heller L, Lotan G. Ecthyma gangrenosum and ecthyma-like lesions: review article. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2015. PMID 25407372 · DOI
- Reich HL, Williams Fadeyi D, Naik NS, Honig PJ, Yan AC. Nonpseudomonal ecthyma gangrenosum. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004. PMID 15097944 · DOI
- Zomorrodi A, Wald ER. Ecthyma gangrenosum: considerations in a previously healthy child. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2002. PMID 12488670 · DOI
- van der Sluis I. Two cases of pyoderma (ecthyma) gengraenosum associated with the presence of an abnormal serumprotein (beta-2-A-paraprotein). With a review of the literature. Dermatologica. 1966. PMID 5332036 · DOI
- Viola L, Langer A, Pulitanò S, Chiaretti A, Piastra M, Polidori G. Serious Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in healthy children: case report and review of the literature. Pediatr Int. 2006. PMID 16732805 · DOI
- Ng W, Tan CL, Yeow V, Yeo M, Teo SH. Ecthyma gangrenosum in a patient with hypogammaglobulinemia. J Infect. 1998. PMID 9661949 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.