Ali AM, Noor ul Amin M, Arif S. First case report of post-operative infection due to
Francisella tularensis after cardiac surgery.
Access Microbiol 2019;
1:e000035. [PMID:
32974547 PMCID:
PMC7470410 DOI:
10.1099/acmi.0.000035]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Francisella tularensis is a rare zoonotic bacterium that spreads sporadically by various routes, including infected arthropod bites, ingestion of contaminated water and inhalation of contaminated dust. However, its occurrence in postoperative chest infection has never been reported. Pathogen isolation, serology and molecular detection methods are commonly used for the diagnosis of tularaemia.
CASE PRESENTATION
We present the first case report of the isolation of F. tularensis from a patient with a chest infection (a boy in his teens) following cardiac surgery for closure of a ventral septal defect. It was isolated on blood and chocolate agar on the third day after the subculture of drain fluid collected in a blood culture bottle incubated in Bact T/Alert 3-D (bioMerieux, France). The organism was identified as F. tularensis by Vitek GN ID Cards (Vitek 2 Compact, bioMerieux, France). The patient made a smooth recovery with antibiotic therapy.
CONCLUSION
F. tularensis can cause post-operative infection, especially in patients with a rural background.
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