Rare case of septic shock combined with meningitis caused by Pasteurella multocida without a history of cat and dog bites

TL;DR

An 84-year-old man developed septic shock and meningitis from Pasteurella multocida without a history of animal bites, highlighting the need for broader clinical awareness.

Contribution

This is a rare report of P. multocida causing septic shock and meningitis without animal contact, expanding clinical understanding of its transmission routes.

Findings

P. multocida was detected in blood and wound samples but not in cerebrospinal fluid culture.

The patient recovered after treatment with penicillin G, doxycycline, and ceftriaxone.

The case occurred without a history of cat or dog bites, challenging existing assumptions about transmission.

Abstract

Pasteurella multocida is a zoonotic pathogen that mainly causes local skin and soft tissue infections in the human body through cat and dog bites. It rarely causes bacteraemia (or sepsis) and meningitis. We reported a case of septic shock and meningitis caused by P. multocida in a patient without a history of cat and dog bites.

An 84-year-old male patient was urgently sent to the emergency department after he was found with unclear consciousness for 8 h, accompanied by limb tremors and urinary incontinence. In the subsequent examination, P. multocida was detected in the blood culture and wound secretion samples of the patient. However, it was not detected in the cerebrospinal fluid culture, but its DNA sequence was detected. Therefore, the patient was clearly diagnosed with septic shock and meningitis caused by P. multocida. The patient had no history of cat or dog contact or bite. The patient was subsequently treated with a combination of penicillin G, doxycycline, and ceftriaxone, and he was discharged after 35 days of hospitalisation.

This report presented a rare case of septic shock and meningitis caused by P. multocida, which was not related to a cat or dog bite. Clinical doctors should consider P. multocida as a possible cause of sepsis or meningitis and should be aware of its potential seriousness even in the absence of animal bites.

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