title: Bacteremia caused by Eggerthella lenta in an elderly man with a gastrointestinal malignancy: A case report.
abstract: Eggerthella lenta is an anaerobic, Gram-positive bacillus commonly found in the human digestive tract. Occasionally, it can cause life-threatening infections. Bacteremia due to this organism is always clinically significant and is associated with gastrointestinal diseases and states of immune suppression. The authors report a case involving an elderly man with a newly diagnosed gastrointestinal malignancy who developed bacteremia caused by E lenta, treated successfully using empirical therapy with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam, followed by directed therapy with metronidazole once the identity and antibiotic susceptibility of the organism was established. The present case reinforces the connection between E lenta bacteremia with gastrointestinal malignancy and highlights the importance of searching for a source of bacteremia due to this organism.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
authors.forename: Davie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
authors.forename: Ethan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
keywords: Bacteremia; Eggerthella lenta; Gastrointestinal; Immunocompromised; Malignancy