Right Lower Extremity Osteomyelitis With Alcaligenes faecalis in a Patient With Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Bacterial Pathogenesis

Background:

• Alcaligenes faecalis is a Gram-negative, aerobic bacterium found in environmental and human microbiota.
• It is known for intrinsic antibiotic resistance and emerging acquired resistance.
• Opportunistic infections by A. faecalis are uncommon but increasingly recognized.

Observation:

• A rare case of osteomyelitis caused by A. faecalis is presented.
• The infection occurred in a patient with a chronic diabetic foot ulcer.
• This highlights a challenging clinical scenario due to bacterial resistance.

Findings:

• Alcaligenes faecalis demonstrated resistance to common antibiotics.
• Osteomyelitis is a severe bone infection that can arise from chronic wounds.
• The case underscores the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties posed by resistant bacteria.

Implications:

• Increased awareness of Alcaligenes faecalis as a potential pathogen in opportunistic infections.
• Need for judicious antibiotic selection and susceptibility testing in complex infections.
• Importance of wound care in diabetic patients to prevent severe infections like osteomyelitis.