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Actinomyces europaeus as an emerging cause of necrotizing fasciitis

Nathan Anthony1, Nathan T Douthit1,2, Allen Foster3

  • 1Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Auburn Campus in Auburn, AL, 910 S Donahue Dr, Auburn, AL 36832, United States of America.

Idcases
|February 27, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Necrotizing fasciitis can be caused by rare bacteria like Actinomyces europaeus. Limited anaerobic antibiotic testing may lead to ineffective treatments for such infections.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Surgical Pathology

Background:

  • Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a severe soft tissue infection, often polymicrobial, commonly involving anaerobic bacteria.
  • Standard treatment often includes broad-spectrum antibiotics targeting common anaerobic pathogens.

Observation:

  • This case report details NF caused by *Actinomyces europaeus*, a gram-positive anaerobic filamentous bacillus rarely implicated in soft tissue infections.
  • *Actinomyces europaeus* has been documented in only one previous case of necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI).

Findings:

  • Limited routine antibiotic susceptibility testing for anaerobic bacteria in hospitals can lead to empirical treatment.
  • Empirical treatment with beta-lactamase resistant antibiotics like piperacillin-tazobactam may not be effective against less common anaerobes such as *A. europaeus*.

Implications:

  • Highlights the importance of advanced diagnostics for identifying unusual pathogens in NF.
  • Suggests a need to re-evaluate empirical antibiotic strategies for polymicrobial infections, considering the potential for rare anaerobic involvement.
  • Underscores the clinical significance of *Actinomyces europaeus* in severe soft tissue infections.
Keywords:
Actinomyces europaeusAnaerobic infectionNecrotizing fasciitis

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