Case Report: Bacillus pumilus-Caused Bacteremia in a Patient with Food Poisoning

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2019 Mar;100(3):688-690. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0593.

Abstract

Bacillus pumilus has rarely been reported as a cause of human infections. We report a case of a B. pumilus causing food poisoning in an adult male. A 51-year-old Japanese man complained of severe abdominal cramps, fever with chills, diarrhea, dizziness, and loss of appetite after eating reheated rice with stewed minced meat purchased from a Kenyan restaurant. Bacillus pumilus was isolated from blood culture and was identified using a biochemical test and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. The patient was treated with probiotics and ciprofloxacin and recovered after 3 days. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the potential role of B. pumilus as a foodborne pathogen in Kenya and highlights the importance of good hygiene and food preparation practices.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bacillus pumilus*
  • Ciprofloxacin / therapeutic use
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Foodborne Diseases / drug therapy
  • Foodborne Diseases / microbiology*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Ciprofloxacin