Fulminant septic shock caused by Capnocytophaga canimorsus in Italy: Case report

Giorgio Piccinelli; Francesca Caccuri; Elena De Peri; Andrea Tironi; Silvia Odolini; Lucia Dora Notarangelo; Franco Gargiulo; Francesco Castelli; Nicola Latronico; Fabio Facchetti; Arnaldo Caruso

International Journal of Infectious Diseases (Jul 2018)

Fulminant septic shock caused by Capnocytophaga canimorsus in Italy: Case report

Giorgio Piccinelli,
Francesca Caccuri,
Elena De Peri,
Andrea Tironi,
Silvia Odolini,
Lucia Dora Notarangelo,
Franco Gargiulo,
Francesco Castelli,
Nicola Latronico,
Fabio Facchetti,
Arnaldo Caruso

Affiliations

Giorgio Piccinelli: Section of Microbiology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, and ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Francesca Caccuri: Section of Microbiology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, and ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Elena De Peri: Section of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, and ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Andrea Tironi: Section of Pathology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, and ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Silvia Odolini: Section of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, and ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Lucia Dora Notarangelo: Unit of Pediatric Onco-Hematology, ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Franco Gargiulo: Section of Microbiology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, and ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Francesco Castelli: Section of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, and ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Nicola Latronico: Section of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, and ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Fabio Facchetti: Section of Pathology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, and ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
Arnaldo Caruso: Section of Microbiology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, and ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy; Corresponding author at: Section of Microbiology, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Piazza Spedali Civili, 1 – 25123 Brescia, Italy.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 72
pp. 3 – 5

Abstract

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Capnocytophaga canimorsus infection was recently recognized as a zoonosis. We report the first case of fulminant septic shock in Italy caused by this pathogen. The patient, with a history of splenectomy, died at the main hospital in Brescia with a presumptive diagnosis of sepsis. PCR and sequencing on post mortem samples confirmed C. canimorsus as a causative organism. Our purpose is to alert medical professionals to the virulence of C. canimorsus in asplenic and immunocompromised patients. Keywords: Capnocytophaga canimorsus, septic shock, PCR, sequencing

Published in International Journal of Infectious Diseases

ISSN: 1201-9712 (Print); 1878-3511 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-infectious-diseases/

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