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Updated: Jun 21, 2025

Identification of Virulence Markers of Mycobacterium abscessus for Intracellular Replication in Phagocytes
Published on: September 27, 2018
Butyricimonas faecihominis: an atypically resistant bacterium implicated in abscess formation - a case report
Lukas Wessendorf1, Tobias Brezina1, Fabian Dusse1
1Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Background:
This case report presents a unique instance of abscesses with an uncommon pathogen isolated from blood cultures.
Case Presentation:
We present the case of a perianal abscess in a 50-year-old man with a history of cocaine abuse and bilateral hip replacements. The rapid progression led to septic shock and multi-organ failure, requiring intensive care unit admission, surgery including protective transversostomy. Blood cultures showed growth of Butyricimonas spp. with resistance to penicillin and piperacillin-tazobactam. The immediate switch to meropenem led to a significant improvement in the patient's condition. The patient was discharged after 40 days of hospitalization in good general condition and the reversal of the transversostomy was performed six months later.
Conclusion:
The identification of Butyricimonas faecihominis, a rarely reported pathogen, emphasizes the challenges of diagnosing and treating unusual infections. This case emphasizes the importance of rapid microbiological diagnosis, interdisciplinary collaboration, and targeted antibiotic therapy in the treatment of abscesses and sepsis.
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