Shewanella (Pseudomonas) putrefaciens bacteremia

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Bacteriology

Background:

• Shewanella (Pseudomonas) putrefaciens is an infrequently reported human pathogen.
• Previous literature documented only 13 cases of S. putrefaciens bacteremia.
• This study expands the known cases to 28, providing a larger dataset for analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of 28 cases of S. putrefaciens bacteremia.
• To identify potential clinical syndromes associated with S. putrefaciens bloodstream infections.
• To evaluate the role of S. putrefaciens as a pathogen in human sepsis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 28 patient cases with S. putrefaciens bacteremia.
• Review of patient demographics, clinical presentations, and outcomes.
• Analysis of co-existing conditions and polymicrobial infections.

Main Results:

• The 28 cases included 16 neonates, 9 adults, and 3 children under 1 year.
• Neonates commonly presented with respiratory distress and pneumonia.
• Adult cases were often associated with lower extremity trauma; sepsis-related deaths occurred primarily in neutropenic patients.
• Polymicrobial bacteremia was present in 18 of the 28 cases.
• Three distinct clinical syndromes were proposed: prematurity/congenital pneumonia, lower extremity ulceration, and underlying debility.

Conclusions:

• Shewanella putrefaciens can cause bloodstream infections in diverse patient populations.
• Distinct clinical presentations suggest specific syndromes associated with S. putrefaciens bacteremia.
• The frequent occurrence of polymicrobial infections complicates the definitive assessment of S. putrefaciens' pathogenic role in sepsis.