CASE REPORT

Fatal Pasteurella dagmatis peritonitis and septicaemia in a patient with cirrhosis: a case report and review of the literature

B D Ashley¹, M Noone¹, A D Dwarakanath¹ and H Malnick²

¹ University Hospital of North Tees, Hardwick, Stockton on Tees TS19 8PE, UK
² Laboratory of Health Care Associated Infection, Health Protection Agency, London NW9 5HT, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr M Noone
University Hospital of North Tees, Hardwick, Stockton on Tees TS19 8PE, UK; noone{at}littlerj.freeserve.co.uk

Pasteurella species cause zoonotic infections in humans. Human pasteurella infections usually manifest as local skin or soft tissue infection following an animal bite or scratch. Systemic infections are less common and are limited to patients at the extremes of age or those who have serious underlying disorders, including cirrhosis. Most human pasteurella infections are caused by the multocida species. We report a case of Pasteurella dagmatis peritonitis and septicaemia in a patient with cirrhosis. The infection followed a scratch inflicted by a pet dog. Despite appropriate antibiotic treatment the infection proved fatal. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis caused by P dagmatis has not been reported previously. Pasteurella dagmatis is a relatively recently described species, which is rarely reported as a human pathogen. This species may be misidentified unless commercial identification systems are supplemented by additional biochemical tests.

Keywords: cirrhosis; Pasteurella dagmatis; peritonitis; septicaemia

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Allison, K., Clarridge, J. E. III (2005). Long-Term Respiratory Tract Infection with Canine-Associated Pasteurella dagmatis and Neisseria canis in a Patient with Chronic Bronchiectasis. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43: 4272-4274 [Abstract] [Full Text]