Fusobacterium necrophorum is an anaerobic, gram-negative highly virulent bacillus, isolated from the oropharingeal cavity, the gastrointestinal tract, and the female genital tract. It is responsible of several clinical syndromes, mainly in children or adolescents, ranging from localized abscess, usually in the upper respiratory sites, to severe septicemic diseases, including meningitis. We report the fatal case of an immunocompetent male with suppurative otitis media and meningitis. Initial empiric antibiotic treatment was not effective. After the recovery of anaerobic gram-negative bacilli from blood cultures, treatment with metronidazole was started, and a rapid improvement in laboratory parameters was observed. However, the patient's clinical course was incurable because of cerebral hypertensive complications. F. necrophorum was identified as the causative agent of this metastatic and fatal infection. This case has shown the severity of infection due to F. necrophorum and, at the same time, the underestimation of anaerobic bacteria in the spectrum of etiologic agents responsible for meningitis. Only a prompt diagnosis and an adequate treatment can improve the prognosis and avoid a fatal outcome.

Angelino, G., Cantarutti, N., Chiurchiù, S., Amodio, D., De Luca, M., Lancella, L., et al. (2012). Fulminant Fusobacterium necrophorum meningitis in an immunocompetent adolescent. PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY CARE, 28(7), 703-704 [10.1097/PEC.0b013e31825d23fb].

Fulminant Fusobacterium necrophorum meningitis in an immunocompetent adolescent

Amodio, D;FINOCCHI, ANDREA
2012-07-01

Abstract

Fusobacterium necrophorum is an anaerobic, gram-negative highly virulent bacillus, isolated from the oropharingeal cavity, the gastrointestinal tract, and the female genital tract. It is responsible of several clinical syndromes, mainly in children or adolescents, ranging from localized abscess, usually in the upper respiratory sites, to severe septicemic diseases, including meningitis. We report the fatal case of an immunocompetent male with suppurative otitis media and meningitis. Initial empiric antibiotic treatment was not effective. After the recovery of anaerobic gram-negative bacilli from blood cultures, treatment with metronidazole was started, and a rapid improvement in laboratory parameters was observed. However, the patient's clinical course was incurable because of cerebral hypertensive complications. F. necrophorum was identified as the causative agent of this metastatic and fatal infection. This case has shown the severity of infection due to F. necrophorum and, at the same time, the underestimation of anaerobic bacteria in the spectrum of etiologic agents responsible for meningitis. Only a prompt diagnosis and an adequate treatment can improve the prognosis and avoid a fatal outcome.
lug-2012
Pubblicato
Rilevanza internazionale
Articolo
Comitato scientifico
Settore MED/38 - PEDIATRIA GENERALE E SPECIALISTICA
English
Con Impact Factor ISI
Metronidazole; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Humans; Meningitis, Bacterial; Immunocompetence; Otitis Media, Suppurative; Fusobacterium necrophorum; Fusobacterium Infections; Adolescent; Male
Angelino, G., Cantarutti, N., Chiurchiù, S., Amodio, D., De Luca, M., Lancella, L., et al. (2012). Fulminant Fusobacterium necrophorum meningitis in an immunocompetent adolescent. PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY CARE, 28(7), 703-704 [10.1097/PEC.0b013e31825d23fb].
Angelino, G; Cantarutti, N; Chiurchiù, S; Amodio, D; De Luca, M; Lancella, L; Coltella, L; Russo, C; Finocchi, A
Articolo su rivista
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2108/78085
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 4
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 5
social impact