Bacteremic community-acquired pneumonia due to Pasteurella multocida

Abstract

An 87-year-old man was admitted to hospital because of fever, productive cough, dyspnea and altered consciousness. His medical history was significant for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He owned several pets. Physical examination and a chest radiograph revealed right upper lobe pneumonia. Blood cultures taken on admission yielded Pasteurella multocida and antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed susceptibility to beta-lactams. The fever subsided four days after treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone and the patient was discharged in a very good clinical condition after two weeks of treatment. Although no history of bites or scratches was documented, it is likely that our patient was exposed to the secretions of his many pets through inhalation of contaminated aerosols. This resulted in tracheobronchial tree colonization by P. multocida, which later developed into pneumonia. Close animal contact should be avoided by frail, elderly patients with chronic pulmonary diseases, as it is a risk factor for pneumonia due to Pasteurella spp.

Pasteurella multocida: from Zoonosis to Cellular Microbiology

“…Pasteurella infections that do not result from bite wounds are likewise most often associated with P. multocida strains (44, 90,163,310) and usually involve contact of skin lesions or nasooropharynx or other upper respiratory mucosa with animals or animal secretions, particularly in young children, the elderly, or pregnant or immunocompromised individuals (40,44,53,87,90,165,235,240,241,244,255,257,258,261,277,288,289,291,307,.…”

Pneumonia and disseminated bacteremia with Pasteurella multocida in the immune competent host: A case report and a review of the literature

“…While penicillin remains the drug of choice for treatment of P. multocida , amoxicillin clavulanate is a suitable oral alternative depending on the site of infection. Third generation cephalosporins and newer fluoroquinolones such as levofloxacin may be another alternative in the rare occurrence of penicillin resistance or those patients unable to take penicillin [1–13] . Given the excellent bioavailability and serum concentrations of levofloxacin it is an attractive therapeutic option even in the presence of bacteremia [13] .…”

Pasteurella multocidaSepticemia in a Patient with Cirrhosis: An Autopsy Report

“…It is present in the normal flora in the nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract of domestic and wild animals such as cats (70–90%), dogs (50–60%), and pigs (50%) [ 3 – 6 ]. P. multocida infection often results in local cellulitis and subcutaneous abscesses within skin and soft tissues following animal scratches or bites [ 1 , 5 , 7 ]. Direct inoculation via bites is the main cause of pasteurellosis.…”