The state Department of Health is investigating several possible cases of a bacterial infection related to footbaths at nail salons in Contra Costa County, a spokeswoman for the county health department said Thursday.

Public health officials are asking health care providers to inform them of any patients suffering from skin infections of the lower legs who have recently received pedicures, said Francie Wise, the communicable disease program chief for Contra Costa Health Services.

"It is still not clear whether there is a connection between the infections and nail salons. We don't want to speculate until the investigation is complete," Wise said in a statement Thursday.

Symptoms of the infection, mycobacterial furunculosis, include boils that usually start out looking like a spider bite but gradually grow in size, eventually producing pus, according to Wise.

It is important, Wise said, that people who have experienced such symptoms contact their health providers right away.

The infection can be treated with antibiotics and some boils will heal on their own, but Wise said it's important to find the source of the infection to stop it from spreading.

Information about the infection is available online at www.cchealth.org or by calling (925) 313-6740.