Factitious polymicrobial bacteremia: a case report

A 23-year-old student nurse presented with polymicrobial bacteremia and symptoms suggestive of a renal abscess. After extensive evaluation, including an exploratory laparotomy, failed to reveal the source of sepsis, factitious illness owing to self-inoculation was suspected. In the absence of urologic, biliary or gastrointestinal obstruction self-inoculation must be considered in all patients with polymicrobial bacteremia.