Takeda Y, Ota K, Kondo A, Nishii T, Onishi N, Yokoyama H, Yamakawa K, Takasu A. A case of necrotizing fasciitis caused by
Bifidobacterium breve.
IDCases 2022;
31:e01667. [PMID:
36636462 PMCID:
PMC9830150 DOI:
10.1016/j.idcr.2022.e01667]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Bifidobacterium breve is an obligate anaerobic gram-positive bacillus mainly found in the gastrointestinal tract of human infants. Few cases of necrotizing fasciitis caused by B. breve have been reported.
Case presentation
A 42-year-old Japanese man with type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, cellulitis of the back, and subcutaneous abscess of the right inguinal region presented with rapidly developing erythema, swelling and severe pain in the right inguinal region. Computed tomography showed widespread gas in the right leg region. Cultures of blood and a swab of the wound abscess grew gram-positive bacilli. Mass spectrography and 16 S rDNA analysis confirmed the gram-positive bacilli as B. breve. The patient recovered following extensive debridement and antibacterial therapy.
Conclusion
Unidentified necrotizing fasciitis can be caused by B. breve, especially in compromised hosts.
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