Necrotizing myositis secondary to Serratia marcescens in a renal allograft recipient.

We describe a fatal case of spontaneous necrotizing myositis due to a highly resistant strain of Serratia marcescens in a renal transplant recipient. Though Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium are the usual agents which cause either pyomyositis or necrotizing myositis, gram-negative bacteria are a dangerous and rarely suspected possibility. Such an aggressive disease should be promptly recognized because immunosuppression in susceptible hosts makes conservative management unsuccessful. The prognosis for myositis in immunodepressed hosts is poor and wide excision of all the necrotic muscles, leaving the wound open, and intensive antibiotic therapy are required.