Tissiarella praeacuta bacteremia, a rare complication of osteomyelitis

Abstract

Tissierella praeacuta, also known as Clostridium hastiforme is an anaerobic gram negative bacteria, first isolated in 1908, by P.H. Tissier. To date, there are currently six documented cases of this environmental organism causing infection in humans. Here, we present a patient who was admitted to hospital with osteomyelitis of his right calcaneus, found to subsequently have T. praeacuta bacteremia isolated from anaerobic blood cultures. During his inpatient course, he was treated with IV vancomycin, cefepime, and metronidazole in addition to surgical debridement of his foot wound. The patient was discharged on a course of oral Levofloxacin and Amoxicillin-Clavulanate with significant clinical improvement.

Keywords

• Tissiarella praeacuta
• Clostridium hastiforme
• Osteomyelitis
• Bacteremia