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[Pasteurella multocida meningitis in a 93-year-old woman following a cat bite]
1Service de médecine interne à orientation pneumologie, CHR de Vichy, boulevard Denière, 03200 Vichy, France. fred_dutheil@yahoo.fr
Medecine Et Maladies Infectieuses
|November 18, 2008
Abstract:
Pasteurella multocida is commensal of the normal nasopharynx or gastrointestinal flora in many domestic and wild animals. Cat and dog bites usually cause soft tissue infections. P. multocida is an unusual causative agent of meningitis which tends to affect neonates or aged patients. The authors report a case (a 93-year-old woman) of P. multocida meningitis induced by a cat bite with dramatic sequels leading to complete patient disability.
Insights
Pasteurella multocida, a common animal bacteria, can cause meningitis after a cat bite, even in the elderly. This rare infection led to severe disability in a 93-year-old patient.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurology
- Bacteriology
Background:
- Pasteurella multocida is a common bacterium found in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts of domestic and wild animals.
- Bites from cats and dogs typically result in soft tissue infections.
- P. multocida is an uncommon cause of meningitis, usually seen in neonates or the elderly.
Observation:
- A case study of a 93-year-old female patient is presented.
- The patient developed meningitis attributed to Pasteurella multocida infection.
- The meningitis was a direct consequence of a cat bite.
Findings:
- Pasteurella multocida meningitis, though rare, can occur following animal bites.
- This specific case involved an elderly patient with severe outcomes.
- The infection led to complete patient disability.
Implications:
- Highlights the potential for P. multocida to cause severe neurological infections beyond typical soft tissue infections.
- Underscores the importance of considering P. multocida in the differential diagnosis of meningitis, especially in bite victims.
- Emphasizes the need for prompt diagnosis and treatment to prevent severe sequelae from P. multocida meningitis.
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