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Pasteurella multocida bacteraemia with liver abscess

Tonnii Sia1,2, Eunice Yong3

  • 1Imperial College London, London, UK tonnii.sia22@imperial.ac.uk.

BMJ Case Reports
|January 17, 2024
PubMed

Insights

A large liver abscess caused by Pasteurella multocida in an immunocompetent adult resolved with prolonged antibiotic treatment. This case highlights non-bite cat exposure as a risk factor for Pasteurella multocida infection.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Hepatology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • * *Pasteurella multocida* is a bacterium commonly found in animals, often associated with bites or scratches.
  • * Liver abscesses are serious infections requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Observation:

  • * A previously healthy woman in her mid-70s presented with symptoms of sepsis and a large liver abscess.
  • * Blood cultures identified *P. multocida*, sensitive to penicillin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid.
  • * The patient had close contact with pet cats, experiencing occasional scratches.

Findings:

  • * The large liver abscess (8.0×7.9×8.5 cm) was not amenable to surgical or radiological drainage.
  • * The patient received 109 days of antimicrobial therapy (63 days IV, 46 days oral amoxicillin-clavulanic acid).
  • * Complete resolution of the liver abscess was achieved with conservative management.

Implications:

  • * This case demonstrates that *Pasteurella multocida* bacteremia and large liver abscesses can occur in immunocompetent adults following non-bite animal exposure.
  • * Prolonged antimicrobial therapy can be effective in treating large liver abscesses when drainage is not feasible.
  • * Highlights the importance of considering *P. multocida* in the differential diagnosis of liver abscesses, especially in individuals with animal contact.
Keywords:
EmpyemaHepatitis and other GI infectionsInfections

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