Chromobacterium haemolyticum infection from hot springs near Yellowstone National Park: a case report

Chromobacterium haemolyticum is a gram-negative anaerobic sporulated rod and was only first identified in 2008. It is very rare in people with only a handful of cases having been diagnosed around the world.

After suffering a fall near Yellowstone National Park, a white male patient in his 50 s presented to a hospital in Eastern Idaho. With many unexplained symptoms, several changes in patient stability and recovery, over a course of 18 days in the hospital, the infecting organism could not be easily identified. Labs in the hospital, state, and eventually outside of the state were consulted for pathogen identification, which was only accomplished after the patient was discharged.

To our knowledge, this is only the seven reported human infection with Chromobacterium haemolyticum. This bacterium is difficult to identify and may be occur in rural areas without the proper testing facilities to quickly identify the pathogen, which is essential to timely treatment.