Klebsiella

[MollyOzium]

I've been breaking out for 2 years now around my mouth/chin with these painful pimples. They start out red and then they form this ugly either white or yellow head that is sometimes really big. Some are puss filled! They always look very irritated and red at the base and just hurt really bad. Furthermore, there is a tingling/burning sensation before, during, and after they visits my face. It used to be one or two at at time and then just recently they just keep coming back and all over the corners of my mouth, chin area, even the lip occasionally.

I was scared that it was herpes b/c of the painful symptoms and ugly appearance. I went to the Dermatoligist the other day and expressed my concern with herpes, he popped one, took a culture and sent it in for testing. The test results yileded Klebsiella bacteria! So basically I have this bacteria infection around my mouth and it causes the PAINFUL pimples? I have been googling Klebsiella skin infections but I dont see any pictures to compare mine to. Is it normal for these painful, ugly, pimples to occur? They look like pimples but I always knew they were different - I could tell there was a difference between a certian pimple I got like on my forehead compared to these mouth ones. They are very ugly and I cannot wait to get rid of them.

Is this normal? Could I have spread it to partners, I've been intimate with 2 people consistently (x-gf of 5 years and now current love interest) and well I obivously don't want this to be in them too!

I just started Ciprofloxacin (3 tablets/day for 16 days).

Any feedack would help!

[EliCruz]

Hello I have the exact same issue, I want to ask if by any chance you have an IUD or had one at that time. Im taking antibiotics but I think it is because of my IUD but I hardly see any reports with Klebsiella and Mirena.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

From the description of symptoms they sound like boils or perioral dermatitis.Since the culture has shown the infecting organism to be Klebsiella,so I would suggest that you start with the antibiotic course of ciprofloxacin.See both of these can be caused by bacteria,so I would suggest an antibiotic course.You can also apply a topical antibiotic cream for this.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional queries.Warm regards.