Chromobacterium violaceum infections in children: two case reports and literature review

Chromobacterium violaceum(C. violaceum) is a gram-negative bacterium that rarely infects humans, especially children. However, the mortality rate is high and there are no clear guidelines for treatment. The aim of this paper is to increase clinicians' awareness of diseases caused by C. violaceum infections in children, to diagnose and treat them in a timely manner, to improve patient survival and to reduce mortality.

We analysed the latest paediatric-related English language literature over the last 10 years and summarised the latest mechanisms of injury, susceptibility factors, adverse prognostic and mortality predictors, mortality rates, methods to reduce mortality, clinical manifestations, new diagnostic methods, therapeutic agents and directions for future drug development for C. violaceum.

Based on the available data, we conclude that the possibility of C. violaceum infection should be considered and diagnosed when cellulitis, septicaemia and visceral abscesses develop in children with a history of skin injury and exposure to stagnant water or soil. When clinicians strongly suspect that a child is infected with this bacterium, the recommended medication is ciprofloxacin if the child presents with severe illness. If the child has a non-severe condition, medications with relatively fewer side effects for children can be chosen, such as gentamicin, trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole, imipenem, and other drugs. The physician can then adjust the antimicrobial regimen based on the antimicrobial spectrum after obtaining the drug sensitivity results.