Gram-negative bacilli are unusual agents of skin and
soft tissue infections. Most previous cases have been reported in cirrhotic or immunocompromised patients, including a single case in a
liver transplant recipient. The present report describes 3 cases of fatal skin or
soft tissue infections caused by Escherichia coli that occurred in the postoperative course of
liver transplantation. The 3 patients were profoundly immunosuppressed as a result of pre-transplant
cirrhosis and the postoperative administration of a potent immunosuppressive therapy. Skin and
soft tissue infections developed within the first week after
liver transplantation, while graft liver function was satisfactory. The 3 patients presented with
fever and skin lesions with or without
bullae. Despite prompt appropriate
antibiotic therapy and surgical
debridement, the outcome was rapidly fatal (24 h on average). E. coli was isolated from subcutaneous tissues in 2 cases and from several blood cultures in the third one. The 3 isolates belonged to distinct phylogenetic groups, and did not harbor most of the
virulence factors usually reported in extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli isolates. Our report suggests that E. coli can cause severe skin or
soft tissue infection in the postoperative course of
liver transplantation. The onset of
infection is very early and the outcome is extremely poor, despite prompt adapted medical and surgical treatment. Host factors, rather than E. coli bacterial virulence potential, appear to be the major determinants of severity in these patients.