Unusual Indirect Transmission of Pasteurella multocida Causing Bacteremia in an Immunocompetent Patient

Pasteurella multocida is a gram-negative coccobacillus commonly found in the oral and respiratory flora of cats and dogs. Human infection typically occurs following animal bites or scratches and most commonly presents as skin and soft tissue infection. Respiratory infections and bacteremia are less common and are usually reported in elderly or immunocompromised individuals. We present a case of a previously healthy male with a one-week history of fever, nonproductive cough, fatigue, myalgias, chills, and generalized weakness. Workup revealed left lower lobe pneumonia and Pasteurella bacteremia. Further history revealed ownership of a household cat and routine cleaning of the cat's feeding dishes with the same cloth used for personal dishes, representing a possible route of indirect exposure. The patient was treated with intravenous piperacillin-tazobactam followed by oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, with subsequent clearance of bacteremia and complete radiographic resolution of pneumonia. Pasteurella infections are most associated with animal bites and scratches; however, non-bite transmission through animal saliva and contaminated fomites has been reported. Pneumonia with bacteremia is an uncommon manifestation, particularly in young immunocompetent hosts. This case highlights an unusual presentation of Pasteurella multocida bacteremic pneumonia in a healthy young adult and underscores the importance of obtaining a detailed animal exposure history, including indirect exposures, when evaluating patients with invasive Pasteurella infections.