Beware of the dog: meningitis in a splenectomised woman.
Purulent meningitis was diagnosed in a 75-yr-old splenectomised woman nine days after a dog bite. The original wound was apparently uninflamed. The causative microorganism proved to be a dysgonic fermenter 2 (DF-2) bacterium (renamed Capnocythophaga canimorsus). This is a recently recognised Gram-negative bacterium, belonging to the normal canine mouth flora, to which asplenic individuals seem to be particularly susceptible.
Krol-van Straaten
M J
MJ
Department of Internal Medicine, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein.
Landheer
J E
JE
de Maat
C E
CE
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications*; D002206:Capnocytophaga / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D041964:Cytophagaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008581:Meningitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D013156:Splenectomy
D002701:Chloramphenicol