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Bordetella holmesii bacteremia in sickle cell disease
Timothy L McCavit1, Steve Grube, Paula Revell
1Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas 75390-9063, USA. tim.mccavit@childrens.com
Abstract:
Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) have an increased risk of invasive bacterial infection because of hyposplenism. Bordetella holmesii is a recently described Gram-negative coccobacillus with an apparent predilection for asplenic hosts. We report two patients with SCD and B. holmesii bacteremia. Fastidious growth in culture and a typically uncomplicated clinical course distinguish B. holmesii infection from other invasive bacterial infections in SCD. Providers for patients with SCD should be aware of this pathogen and ensure that their microbiology laboratories are capable of isolating and identifying this organism.
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