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Clostridium perfringens meningitis, Plesiomonas shigelloides sepsis: A lethal combination

Emmanuel Okon1, Eliahu Bishburg, Sandra Ugras

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, NJ, U.S.A.

The American Journal of Case Reports
|April 10, 2013
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

This report details a rare case of Clostridium meningitis and Plesiomonas sepsis in an immunocompetent adult. The patient presented with rapid deterioration and death, with both bacteria identified post-mortem without a clear entry point.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Anaerobic bacterial meningitis is a rare condition.
  • Cases are typically associated with trauma or neurosurgery, making cases without a clear portal of entry extremely unusual.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a unique case of concurrent Clostridium meningitis and Plesiomonas sepsis.
  • To highlight the occurrence of these infections in an immunocompetent adult without an identifiable portal of entry.

Main Methods:

  • A case report of a 71-year-old male with diabetes.
  • Clinical presentation included acute severe headaches, obtundation, and hemolysis after a hunting trip.
  • Post-mortem cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood analyses were performed.

Main Results:

  • Clostridium perfringens was identified in both CSF and blood.
  • Plesiomonas shigelloides was identified in the blood.
  • The patient experienced rapid clinical deterioration and death within 3 hours of presentation.

Conclusions:

  • This is the first reported case of simultaneous bloodstream infection with Clostridium perfringens and Plesiomonas shigelloides in a single patient.
  • The absence of an obvious portal of entry in this case challenges typical understanding of these infections.
Keywords:
clostridium perfringenshemolysismeningitisplesiomonassepsis

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