Urinary tract infection caused by Edwardsiella tarda: a report of the first case in Iran

Abstract

Bckground Edwardsiella tarda, an Enterobacteriaceae family member, is prevalent in different aquatic settings and rarely infects humans. As a result of eating raw or undercooked seafood, humans become infected through their intestinal tracts. Extraintestinal infections have been reported infrequently, mostly in immunocompromised and chronically ill patients. Case presentation Our report describes a case of urinary tract infection caused by E. tarda in a 4-year-old female patient with a history of urinary tract infection and a complaint of fever, dysuria, and frequency. E. tarda was identified as the pathogen isolated from the urine culture. The patient's symptoms were alleviated after receiving ceftriaxone and then nitrofurantoin. Conclusion This case demonstrates that even in immunocompetent patients, E. tarda can infect extraintestinal organs, including urinary tract. Our patient represents the first case of E. tarda infection in Iran and due to the fact that this pathogen is transmitted by aquatic animals, there is a possibility of infecting more aquatic animals and humans in Iran; therefore, the necessary precautions should be taken.

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

“…While most of the clinical findings varied considerably in these cases, a common underlying theme was the handling, taking care of, or playing with goldfish in a tank or aquarium. The case report by Gilani and others [56] indirectly suggests that the dead goldfish may have also been infected with edwardsiellae.…”

“…In addition to hepatobiliary disease being associated with E. tarda bacteremia [50,60,62,107,169], a variety of other rare complications have been attributed to edwardsiellosis. These maladies include peritonitis [51], urinary tract infections [44,56], respiratory tract disease [59], and endocarditis [170]. While scarce, bone and joint infections caused by E. tarda have been described on several occasions and associated with arthritis of the knee, thoracic spondylitis [58], and osteomyelitis [171].…”

“…These fish present potential infectious complications through traumatic events (catfish spine puncture) or direct contact of superficial sores or abraded skin with aquatic environs while cleaning tanks [63]. Recent data suggest that ornamental fish, particularly goldfish, may play a noteworthy role in Edwardsiella pathogenesis based on recent reports [47,[56][57][58]. Finally, recent biotherapy applications such as fish pedicures or ichthyotherapy may also lead to STI as it has with other aquatic pathogens such as Aeromonas [212].…”