Related Experiment Videos
[Fusobacterium necrophorum septicemia in an infant]
P François1, M Plasse, P Frappat
1Département de Pédiatrie, C.H.R.U. de Grenoble.
Abstract:
In a 9 month-old infant admitted to hospital for a fever with chilles, anaerobic blood cultures isolated Fusobacterium necrophorum. On the 5th day of intravenous treatment with amoxicillin and metronidazole clinical signs of mastoiditis, the likely source of the sepsis, became apparent. Septicemias with Fusobacterium necrophorum are usually observed in teenagers and young adults during an acute bout of tonsilitis. This type of infection is exceptional in infants and requires a careful search for a primary focus in facial cavities and in the base of the skull.
Insights
Fusobacterium necrophorum sepsis is rare in infants, typically seen in older individuals with tonsillitis. This case highlights the need to investigate facial and skull base infections in infants with this serious bloodstream infection.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Bacteriology
Background:
- Fusobacterium necrophorum is a bacterium known to cause severe bloodstream infections (septicemia), predominantly in adolescents and young adults.
- These infections are often associated with acute tonsillitis, serving as a common entry point for the pathogen.
Observation:
- A 9-month-old infant presented with fever and chills, leading to the isolation of Fusobacterium necrophorum from blood cultures.
- During intravenous antibiotic treatment (amoxicillin and metronidazole), clinical indicators of mastoiditis emerged, suggesting it as the probable source of the sepsis.
Findings:
- The identification of Fusobacterium necrophorum in an infant represents an unusual presentation of this type of septicemia.
- Mastoiditis was identified as the likely primary focus of infection in this infant case.
Implications:
- This case underscores the atypical occurrence of Fusobacterium necrophorum septicemia in infants, contrasting with its typical demographic.
- It emphasizes the critical need for a thorough investigation of potential primary infection sites in the facial cavities and skull base when this pathogen is detected in young children.
- Early recognition and source identification are crucial for effective management of invasive Fusobacterium necrophorum infections in pediatric populations.