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04:56

Epithelial Cell Infection Analyses with Shigella

Published on: February 9, 2024

Rare Fatal Event of Multidrug-resistant Shigella Septicemia and Cryptococcal Meningitis in an Immunocompromised Host

Sunandini Kapoor1, Rajat Prakash1, Saranya Datta1

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.

Annals of African Medicine
|July 1, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Shigella bacteremia is rare but dangerous in immunocompromised individuals. This case highlights a fatal Shigella flexneri septicemia and cryptococcal meningitis in a 40-year-old male.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Bacteremia caused by Shigella species is uncommon.
  • Immunocompromised individuals are susceptible to Shigella invasion, even with low infectious doses.
  • Shigella infections can lead to severe systemic complications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a rare case of fatal Shigella bacteremia in an immunocompromised patient.
  • To highlight the diagnostic challenges and clinical presentation of multidrug-resistant Shigella flexneri septicemia.
  • To emphasize the co-occurrence of Shigella septicemia and cryptococcal meningitis.

Main Methods:

  • Case report of a 40-year-old immunocompromised male.
  • Clinical presentation included prolonged diarrhea and seizures.
  • Microbiological workup for blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples.

Main Results:

  • Diagnosis of multidrug-resistant Shigella flexneri septicemia.
  • Concurrent diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis.
  • The patient's condition was fatal despite medical intervention.

Conclusions:

  • Shigella bacteremia, though rare, poses a significant threat to immunocompromised hosts.
  • Early and comprehensive microbiological investigation is crucial for timely diagnosis.
  • Co-infections, such as with Cryptococcus, can complicate the clinical picture and management.
Keywords:
BacteremiaBactériémieShigella flexnericryptococcal meningitisdrug-resistantimagerie par résonance magnétique cérébralemagnetic resonance imaging brainméningite cryptococciquerésistance médicamenteuse

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