Abstract: The clinical data of 10 patients with fish stab wound granuloma infection in our hospital from January 2019  to May 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Of 10 patients, 3 were males and 7 were females with the median age at onset of 49 years. Three patients were seafood chef, 5 had a history of stabbing by fish or seafood, 1 had a history of cutting with kitchen knife and 1 had a history of trauma of hand. The most common lesions were erythema and nodules with ulceration and scab on the upper limbs. The lesions were confined to the hands in 3 patients and the lesions disseminated along the lymphatic vessels in other 7 patients. Histological examination of all patients showed epithelioid granuloma or non-specific manifestations. Mycobacterium marinum was confirmed in the lesion or colonies of 10 patients by qPCR detection. Three patients with localized lesions were treated with minocycline, 50 mg, twice a day, with an average period of treatment of 4.67±2.08 months, and all patients were cured. Six patients with disseminated lesions were treated with rifampicin 150-600 mg combined with clarithromycin 500 mg once a day with an average period of treatment was 4.80±1.48 months, and 5 patients were cured and 1 was lost to follow-up. One patient with disseminated lesions and abnormal liver function was cured after treated with doxycycline, twice a day for 9 months.

Key words: fish stab wound granuloma, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, treatment