Septic shock due to Helicobacter fennelliae in a non-human immunodeficiency virus-infected heterosexual patient.
Helicobacter fennelliae (formerly Campylobacter fennelliae) has been reported to cause bacteremia in homosexual men with or without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We report here a 48-year-old, non-HIV-infected, heterosexual man with diabetes mellitus and cirrhosis of the liver who developed bacteremia and septic shock due to H. fennelliae. The patient was treated successfully initially with intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam and ceftazidime, followed by ampicillin-sulbactam only. These agents were active in vitro against the isolate by E-test results. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of septic shock due to H. fennelliae in a non-HIV-infected, heterosexual, immunocompromised patient.
D016470:Bacteremia / Q000175:diagnosis; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D020010:Heterosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*