Beard folliculitis by Klebsiella aerogenes in a young man: An emergent sexually transmitted infection?

This article focuses on a case of persistent beard folliculitis caused by Klebsiella aerogenes, a Gram-negative enteric bacterium increasingly identified in men who have sex with men (MSM). The 23-year-old patient’s folliculitis was unresponsive to conventional treatments but resolved after combined oral ciprofloxacin and topical gentamicin therapy alongside isotretinoin, with avoidance of communal hot tubs to prevent recurrence. The report highlights the importance of bacterial culture in refractory folliculitis cases and considers K. aerogenes a potential sexually transmissible pathogen in this population. Differential diagnosis includes tinea barbae caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes ITS genotype VII, an emerging dermatophyte with similar clinical features, underscoring the need for thorough microbiological and mycological evaluation.