Tropical Pyomyositis: diabetes facilitating the onset of an uncommon disease

Abstract

Introduction: Tropical pyomyositis is an infectious disease that affects skeletal muscle and may appear as a diffuse inflammation or a rapidly progressive myonecrotic process. The predisposition of this disease in diabetics is already mentioned in several studies. The pathogenesis is possibly related to changes in neutrophils and the reversal of the immune response pattern that occurs in situations such as parasitic diseases. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common microorganism, accounting for 90% of cases of tropical pyomyositis. The diagnosis is sometimes late because patients usually do not seek care by the first symptoms, and because it is a rare disease and physicians are not very familiar with it. Case report: A 42-year-old male patient with diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and hypoalbuminemia developed tropical pyomyositis with multiple muscle abscesses in quadriceps, soleus and anterior tibial, triceps and biceps brachialis and pronator round, requiring prolonged antibiotic therapy and surgical drainage. Conclusion:
Pyomyositis is a little known disease and if not diagnosed early can be fatal.