Carnobacterium inhibens isolated in blood culture of an immunocompromised, metastatic cancer patient: a case report and literature review.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Carnobacterium species are lactic acid-producing Gram-positive bacteria that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada for use as a food bio-preservative. The use of live bacteria as a food additive and its potential risk of infections in immunocompromised patients are not well understood.

CASE PRESENTATION:

An 81-year-old male with a history of metastatic prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy and chronic steroids presented to our hospital with a 2-week history of productive cough, dyspnea, altered mentation, and fever. Extensive computed tomography imaging revealed multifocal pneumonia without other foci of infection. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and empirically treated with ceftriaxone and vancomycin. Blood cultures from admission later returned positive for Carnobacterium inhibens. He achieved clinical recovery with step-down to oral amoxicillin/clavulanic acid for a total 7-day course of antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONS:

This is the fourth reported case of bacteremia with Carnobacterium spp. isolated from humans. This case highlights the need to better understand the pathogenicity and disease spectrum of bacteria used in the food industry for bio-preservation, especially in immunocompromised patients.

• Authors: Carson Ka-Lok Lo, Prameet M Sheth
• Journal: BMC infectious diseases (BMC Infect Dis) Vol. 21 Issue 1 Pg. 403 (May 01 2021) ISSN: 1471-2334 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 33933029 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Androgen Antagonists
• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Vancomycin
• Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination
• Ceftriaxone

Topics

• Aged, 80 and over
• Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination (therapeutic use)
• Androgen Antagonists (therapeutic use)
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Bacteremia (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Blood Culture
• Canada
• Carnobacterium (isolation & purification, pathogenicity)
• Ceftriaxone (therapeutic use)
• Food Microbiology
• Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections (blood, drug therapy, microbiology)
• Humans
• Immunocompromised Host
• Male
• Pneumonia, Bacterial (drug therapy, microbiology)
• Prostatic Neoplasms (drug therapy, microbiology, pathology)
• Vancomycin (therapeutic use)