National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Pyomyositis


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Pyomyositis is rare bacterial infection of the skeletal muscle (the muscles used for movement). Signs and symptoms may include pain and tenderness of the affected muscle, fever, and abscess formation. If left untreated, the abscess may extend into the bone and joint or blood poisoning may occur. Approximately 90% of cases are caused by the bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus. Risk factors for the condition include strenuous activity, muscle trauma, skin infections, infected insect bites, illicit drug injections, connective tissue disorders, and diabetes. Treatment generally includes surgical drainage of the abscess and antibiotics.[1][2][3]
Last updated: 2/15/2016

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Fever 0001945
Myalgia
Muscle ache
Muscle pain
[ more ] 		0003326
Myositis
Muscle inflammation
0100614
Recurrent cutaneous abscess formation 0100838
Subcutaneous nodule
Firm lump under the skin
Growth of abnormal tissue under the skin
[ more ] 		0001482
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Leukocytosis
Elevated white blood count
High white blood count
Increased blood leukocyte number
[ more ] 		0001974
Testicular teratoma 0100616
Weight loss 0001824
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Renal insufficiency
Renal failure
Renal failure in adulthood
[ more ] 		0000083
Sepsis
Infection in blood stream
0100806
Sudden cardiac death
Premature sudden cardiac death
0001645
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
Differential diagnoses include parasitic and viral myositis, leptospirosis, polymyositis, trichinellosis (see these terms), osteomyelitis, cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis, clostridial myonecrosis, septic arthritis, deep vein thrombosis and muscle contusions, hematomas, ruptures or strains.
Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • DermNet NZ is an online resource about skin diseases developed by the New Zealand Dermatological Society Incorporated. DermNet NZ provides information about this condition.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Pyomyositis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Tropical pyomyositis. DermNet NZ. February 2016; http://www.dermnetnz.org/bacterial/tropical-pyomyositis.html.
  2. Mohammed J Zafar, MD, FAAN, FACP. Infectious Myositis. August 2015; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1168167-overview.
  3. Larry M Baddour, MD, FIDSA; Anuwat Keerasuntornpong, MD. Pyomyositis. UpToDate. July 2014;