Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bacteremia caused by Bergeyella zoohelcum in an infective endocarditis patient: case report and review of literature.
- Journal:
- BMC infectious diseases
- Year:
- 2017
- Authors:
- Chen, Yili et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Laboratory Medicine · China
Plain-English summary
A 27-year-old woman with infective endocarditis, which is an infection of the heart's inner lining, developed a bloodstream infection caused by a bacterium called Bergeyella zoohelcum. Interestingly, she had no history of being bitten by a dog or any other animal, which is usually how this bacterium is linked to infections. She was treated with an antibiotic called cefuroxime and responded well to the treatment. This case highlights that Bergeyella zoohelcum can cause serious infections even in patients without typical risk factors.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bergeyella zoohelcum is an aerobic, Gram-negative bacterium that is frequently isolated from the upper respiratory tract of dogs, cats and other mammals. Clinically, B. zoohelcum has been reported causing cellulitis, tenosynovitis, leg abscess and septicemia, which is closely connected with animal bites. Here we describe a case of bacteremia in an infective endocarditis (IE) patient caused by B. zoohelcum, in China. CASE PRESENTATION: A 27-year-old infective endocarditis woman who had no history of dog bite nor other mammal exposure suffered bacteremia caused by B. zoohelcum. This patient, without evidence of polymicrobial infection, was treated with cefuroxime and had a good outcome. CONCLUSIONS: B. zoolhelcum bacteremia is rarely reported in IE patients. Our report expands the range of known bacterial causes of infective endocarditis.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28403835/