Multiorgan Failure and Refractory Lactic Acidosis due toPasteurella multocidaSepticemia in a Patient with No Animal Exposure

Abstract

Introduction.Pasteurella multocidais a gram-negative coccobacillus pathogenic to animals. It can cause infection in humans by a bite, scratch, or lick from a cat or dog.P. multocidacan cause a variety of infections in humans, including cellulitis, osteomyelitis, endocarditis, peritonitis, and septic shock.Case Presentation. A 56-year-old male presented to our hospital with a 2-day history of fever, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. He denied exposure to cats, dogs or other pets. He had severe respiratory distress requiring ventilator support, profound septic shock requiring multiple vasopressors, severe lactic acidosis, and renal failure requiring emergent hemodialysis. Blood cultures confirmed the presence ofP. multocida. The patient subsequently died of cardiopulmonary arrest due to multiorgan failure with refractory shock.Conclusion.P. multocidasepticemia can lead to septic shock. Early identification of this organism may decrease mortality. Although our patient had no known cat or dog exposure, physicians should enquire about a history of animal exposure when a patient presents with an infection with no obvious cause.