Epidemiology and clinical features of Shewanella infection over an eight-year period.
Shewanella is a rare human pathogen that can lead to fatal infections. However, clinical information about this bacterium remains scarce. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed all patients with laboratory isolates of Shewanella over an 8-y period to assess risk factors, clinical manifestations and outcome. Twenty-nine patients were identified. Shewanella was most commonly isolated from intra-abdominal specimens (48.2%), followed by skin and soft tissue specimens (27.6%), blood (13.8%) and sputum (10.3%). Malignancy, hepatobiliary disease and diabetes mellitus were common underlying diseases. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 20.6%. Shewanella was considered a definite causative pathogen in 7 patients, and a recurrent infection occurred in 2 patients. Colonization of the biliary tract was common. Among co-isolated pathogens, the enteric flora was most represented. All isolates were susceptible to ceftazidime and aminoglycosides, but 1 isolate was resistant to imipenem. In conclusion, Shewanella may become a colonizing bacterium, subsequently causing invasive diseases in patients with an underlying disease.
Infectious Disease Division, Queen Mary Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Kelvin K W
KK
To
Samson S Y
SS
Wong
Vincent C C
VC
Cheng
Bone S F
BS
Tang
Iris W S
IW
Li
Jasper F W
JF
Chan
Wai-Kay
WK
Seto
Herman
H
Tse
Kwok-Yung
KY
Yuen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020592:Shewanella / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents