How is Mycobacterium marinum infection treated?
Most infections are treated medically with a fairly long course of oral antibiotics. Medications may be required anywhere from two to six weeks to six months or more depending on the severity of the disease and spread of the infection. Typically, physicians may recommend continuing the medications for an additional four to six weeks even after all of the symptoms have fully cleared. The gold standard for treatment of infection by M. marinum is oral antibiotics. Medication options include rifampin plus ethambutol, tetracyclines, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, clarithromycin, and fluoroquinolones. In the past, M. marinum was treated with antituberculosis drugs like isoniazid, streptomycin, and para-aminosalicylic acid. Recent studies have shown the bacteria may becoming more resistant to these particular classes of drugs. Some milder infections (mainly in healthy people) have cleared on their own without any treatment. Rarely, surgical treatment and drainage of deeper tissue or skin infe
