Recurrent Helicobacter cinaedi cellulitis and bacteremia in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

Intern Med. 2012;51(22):3185-8. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.51.8149. Epub 2012 Nov 15.

Abstract

A 31-year-old woman who had developed systemic lupus erythematosus at 17 years of age was admitted to the hospital for suspected cellulitis in the lower extremities. A blood culture performed upon admission to the hospital detected Helicobacter cinaedi (H. cinaedi), which was also isolated in blood and fecal cultures obtained on the 42nd hospital day. Bacterial translocation of H. cinaedi present in the intestines may have led to the development of recurrent bacteremia and cellulitis. In cases such as this, appropriate antibiotics therapy might be needed for more than one month. Moreover, H. cinaedi, a cause of emerging infections, requires a long period of time to grow; therefore it is important to extend the culture duration when the presence of this bacterium is suspected.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Aztreonam / therapeutic use
  • Bacteremia / complications*
  • Bacteremia / drug therapy
  • Bacteremia / microbiology
  • Cellulitis / complications*
  • Cellulitis / drug therapy
  • Cellulitis / microbiology
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / complications
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / drug therapy
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / microbiology
  • Female
  • Helicobacter / isolation & purification
  • Helicobacter Infections / complications*
  • Helicobacter Infections / drug therapy
  • Helicobacter Infections / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / complications*
  • Recurrence

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Aztreonam