Edwardsiella tarda Causing Fishbone Injury Cellulitis Leading to Sepsis in a Case of Hematological Malignancy—A Rare Report and Review of Literature

Abstract

Edwardsiella tarda (E. tarda), a gram-negative bacillus, a member of order Enterobacterales, is typically a fish pathogen frequently isolated from fresh and brackish water environments. It is very rarely implicated in human infections such as gastroenteritis (most common), cellulitis, gas gangrene, hepatobiliary infections, peritonitis, empyema, and meningitis. Bacteremia/sepsis caused by E. tarda can be fatal in humans, although very rare (<5%). To date, very few cases of E. tarda sepsis have been reported worldwide including India. We report a rare case of cellulitis caused by E. tarda following fishbone injury in a patient with underlying hematological malignancy leading to sepsis.

Expanding the Spectrum of Diseases and Disease Associations Caused by Edwardsiella tarda and Related Species

“…The most common E. tarda syndrome associated with animal-associated trauma is wound infections (cellulitis, myonecrosis) resulting from penetrating injuries to the extremities. The most common injury observed involves catfish punctures, stings, or bites [54]. Other complications include fishbone pricks or punctures resulting in wound infections or sepsis [45,54].…”

“…The most common injury observed involves catfish punctures, stings, or bites [54]. Other complications include fishbone pricks or punctures resulting in wound infections or sepsis [45,54].…”

“…Patients warned of excess alcohol consumption have ignored physicians' advice that preceded their fatal episodes of systemic E. tarda infection [62]. Hepatitis C has also been reported as an underlying complication associated with a variety of extraintestinal infections including bacteremia, myonecrosis, and pelvic inflammatory disease [54]. Other less prominent predisposing risk factors sometimes linked to E. tarda infection include diabetes mellitus, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and gastrectomy [46,48,53,54].…”