Case Report: Disseminated Edwardsiella tarda infection in an immunocompromised patient

Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023 Nov 20:13:1292768. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1292768. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Human infection caused by bacteria of the Edwardsiella genus is rare and most often presents with gastroenteritis that rarely requires antibiotics. Our case report describes a medically complex patient with chronic steroid use contributing to an immunocompromised state, who presented with fever and abdominal pain. The patient was later found to have Edwardsiella tarda (E. tarda) bacteremia and underwent paracentesis confirming E. tarda bacterial peritonitis requiring a prolonged antibiotic course. This case report aims to illustrate the presentation, diagnosis, and management of an uncommon infection that can have severe complications especially among immunocompromised patients.

Keywords: Edwardsiella tarda; case report; disseminated infection; immunocompromised; spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacteremia* / diagnosis
  • Bacteremia* / drug therapy
  • Edwardsiella tarda
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections* / diagnosis
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections* / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.