A rare case of Shewanella septicemia: risk factors, environmental associations and management

Azka Latif; Vikas Kapoor; Renuga Vivekanandan; Joseph Thilumala Reddy

doi:10.1136/bcr-2019-230252

A rare case of Shewanella septicemia: risk factors, environmental associations and management

BMJ Case Rep. 2019 Sep 19;12(9):e230252. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2019-230252.

Authors

Azka Latif¹, Vikas Kapoor¹, Renuga Vivekanandan², Joseph Thilumala Reddy¹

Affiliations

¹ Internal Medicine, CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Bergan Mercy, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
² Infectious Diseases, Alegent-Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.

Abstract

Shewanella species are Gram-negative, saprophytic, motile bacilli. Exposure to aquatic environment and raw fish ingestion have been defined as significant associated risk factors. The two species most commonly associated with human infections are Shewanella algae and Shewanella putrefaciens and major portion of infections (80%) caused by the former. Herein, we report a case of Shewanella septicaemia in a 70-year-old man in Omaha, NE who had no exposure to aquatic environment. To date, no defined treatment guidelines are present due to rarity of Shewanella infections, which is contributing to emerging antibiotic resistance.

Keywords: drugs: infectious diseases; infectious diseases; tropical medicine (infectious disease).

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
Bacteremia / drug therapy
Diagnosis, Differential
Environmental Exposure
Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / diagnosis*
Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / drug therapy*
Humans
Male
Nebraska
Risk Factors
Sepsis / diagnosis*
Sepsis / drug therapy*
Shewanella*

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents