A case of delayed cutaneous S. marcescens after rhinoplasty

Authors

  • Alice Kesler Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Lakeland, Florida, United States, Author
  • Taylor Gray University of Florida, Department of Dermatology, Gainesville, Florida, United States Author
  • Christina Sun University of Florida, Department of Dermatology, Gainesville, Florida, United States Author
  • Aman Prasad University of Florida, Department of Dermatology, Gainesville, Florida, United States Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5070/y574n812

Keywords:

Abscess, Immunocompetent, Infection, Levofloxacin, Nodule, Rhinoplasty, Serratia

Abstract

Serratia marcescens is an uncommon cause of cutaneous infections, especially in immunocompetent individuals. We present a 31-year-old woman with a chronic erythematous nodule on the nasal supratip, three years post-rhinoplasty. Initial treatments, including intralesional corticosteroids, oral doxycycline, and topical metronidazole, failed to resolve the infection. Initially thought to be a contaminant, repeat tissue culture confirmed the presence of S. marcescens. The patient’s abscess resolved following a course of levofloxacin but surgery was required to remove remnant scar tissue. This case underscores the importance of considering atypical pathogens in chronic cutaneous infections following cosmetic procedures, even in immunocompetent patients. Increased awareness among clinicians can aid in prompt diagnosis and targeted therapy.

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References

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Published

09/08/2025

Issue

Vol. 31 No. 4 (2025): Dermatology Online Journal

Section

Case Presentation

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Alice Kesler, Taylor Gray, Christina Sun, Aman Prasad (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.