Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in a Previously Healthy Infant

Serious Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in healthy children: case report and review of the literature

“…We could suppose that a previous viral infection may have weakened the mucosal barrier of our child, allowing PA otitis and pneumonia, then bacteriemia. Some authors have reported episodes of otitis media as a predisposing condition for the sepsis in their patients 7,9,11,12 . We observed the same risk factor in our child, even if we could not detect PA in ear effusion.…”

“…Unlike some of the previous cases, in whom PA sepsis had been the first manifestation of an underlying hypogammaglobulinemia and/or neutropenia, 1–5 our patient had not shown any hematological and immunologic abnormalities. Neutropenia may be associated with PA infections in immunocompetent children: it is due to PA toxins that lead to bone marrow suppression during the acute phase 11,12 . We could suppose that a previous viral infection may have weakened the mucosal barrier of our child, allowing PA otitis and pneumonia, then bacteriemia.…”

“…Some authors have reported PA sepsis in previously healthy children, without underlying medical problems; in Table 1 we describe the characteristics of these 73 patients 1–12 . Most patients were male and were less than 1 year of age.…”

“…cystic fibrosis), sepsis and meningitis. Some authors report cases of PA community‐acquired pneumonia in previously healthy adults; there are also case reports of healthy children with severe PA infections 1–12 …”

Ecthyma gangrenosum, a skin manifestation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis in a previously healthy child

“…These toxins could inhibit granulocyte migration and cause like bone marrow suppression in healthy children. [3,8,10] …”