Bacteremia Caused by Eggerthella lenta in an Elderly Man with a Gastrointestinal Malignancy: A Case Report
Eggerthella lenta is an anaerobic, Gram-positive bacillus commonly found in the human digestive tract. Occasionally, it can cause life-threatening infections. Bacteremia due to this organism is always clinically significant and is associated with gastrointestinal diseases and states of immune suppre...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2014-01-01
|
| Series: | Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/802481 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Eggerthella lenta is an anaerobic, Gram-positive bacillus commonly found in the human digestive tract. Occasionally, it can cause life-threatening infections. Bacteremia due to this organism is always clinically significant and is associated with gastrointestinal diseases and states of immune suppression. The authors report a case involving an elderly man with a newly diagnosed gastrointestinal malignancy who developed bacteremia caused by E lenta, treated successfully using empirical therapy with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam, followed by directed therapy with metronidazole once the identity and antibiotic susceptibility of the organism was established. The present case reinforces the connection between E lenta bacteremia with gastrointestinal malignancy and highlights the importance of searching for a source of bacteremia due to this organism. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1712-9532 |