Botryomycosis caused by Moraxella nonliquefaciens.

Botryomycosis is a bacterial infection characterized by the presence of grains of organisms in the tissue. Although Staphylococcus aureus is the most common causative agent, other bacteria have been reported to cause botryomycosis. Several factors have been hypothesized to be important in the pathogenesis of botryomycosis, including foreign bodies, quantity and virulence of organisms, and host immunity. The resulting infection tends to be resistant to antibiotic therapy. We report a case of botryomycosis of the hand caused by Moraxella nonliquefaciens, an organism of low virulence not previously associated with botryomycosis, and discuss the factors that may have led to this infection. This infection was successfully treated by excision and grafting.