Neisseria weaveri: Atypical Infection in Breast Implant-Based Reconstruction

Surgical site infection (SSI) following breast implant surgery can have devastating complications. Infection is most commonly from coagulase-negative Staphylococcus bacteria. Neisseria weaveri is a gram-negative bacterium that is associated with animal bites. We present the first known case of N. weaveri causing SSI following breast implant reconstruction. We report the case of a 61-year-old woman with invasive ductal carcinoma who underwent bilateral skin-sparing mastectomy with immediate implant-based reconstruction. She presented on postoperative day 24 with malodorous drainage from her Jackson-Pratt drain. The patient explained that she has a shih tzu at home that frequently licked her. Cultures from the drain grew N. weaveri. The patient's antibiotic regimen was transitioned, and she completed her course without complications. Practitioners should counsel their patients on adequate postsurgery hygiene and take into consideration rare causes of SSI and how this may affect patient care.