Wound colonization by Ewingella americana

Abstract

Ewingella americana was recovered from a wound on the left leg of a 46-year-old male after a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula. Compared with the reported characteristics of 44 American strains, this strain was shown to belong to biogroup 1. The isolation of this bacterium in South Africa confirms its wide geographical distribution in clinical specimens. Colonization was not associated with clinical deterioration.

Prevalence of Ewingella americana in retail fresh cultivated mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus, Lentinula edodes and Pleurotus ostreatus) in Zaragoza (Spain)

“…The natural reservoir of E. americana is unknown, but it has been isolated in human clinical samples as an unusual opportunistic pathogen [1,4–7,9–12]. It has also been isolated occasionally from the intestinal contents of snails and slugs [13], carrots [15], vacuum‐packaged meat [16] and fresh nutria carcasses [14].…”

“…Its pathogenic potential is quite low, but its capacity to survive in inanimate media facilitates the organism's persistence in intra‐hospital environments [4]. E. americana has been isolated in several different pathological processes including wounds [5], bacteremia [6,7], pseudobacteremia [8], peritonitis [9] and conjunctivitis [10,11]. Recently, it has been isolated in the heart and spleen blood of a fatal case of the Waterhouse–Friderichsen syndrome [12].…”

First Case of Ewingella americana Meningitis in a Term Newborn: A Rare but Real Pathogen

“…Despite rarely causing human infection , it has previously been reported as a cause of conjunctivitis, Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, bacteremia, peritonitis, pneumonia and osteomyelitis, usually in immunocompromised patients and/or intravenous drug users ( Figure 1A). Colonization in wound and sputum were also reported without causing clinical manifestations (4,8). There are only three reported pediatric cases in the literature.…”

Case of Peritonitis Caused by Ewingella americana in a Patient Undergoing Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

“…This microorganism is rarely found in human clinical samples. The most common source of human isolates has been blood, but it has also been isolated from sputum, urine, wounds, and stool (1,4,5).…”