Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced hematogenous disseminated severe pneumonia: a case report

Abstract

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a gram-negative oral anaerobe among more than more than 500 bacterial species that colonizing the oral cavity, is involved in the pathogenesis and prototypic polybacterial consortium of periodontitis. It is mainly found in oral infections and rarely present in other organ diseases. Here, we describe a 43-year-old man with underlying diabetes who developed hematogenous disseminated severe pneumonia after P. gingivalis had invaded the blood. Next-generation sequencing of early alveolar lavage fluid and blood samples confirmed the diagnosis. The patient’s lung infection improved after targeted antimicrobial treatment. He was successfully weaned from ventilatory support and transferred to the general ward. This case illustrates bacterial entry into the bloodstream of a patient with diabetes who had periodontal disease but did not maintain oral hygiene, leading to severe pneumonia. Periodontal disease is often ignored by the public, and it is difficult for critical care physicians to link severe pneumonia with periodontal disease. Thus, this case represents an important warning to critical care clinicians.