Clostridium subterminale Septicemia in a Patient with Metastatic Gastrointestinal Adenocarcinoma

Clostridium subterminale is a rare member of the Clostridiaceae family that is rarely cultured. This report examines a case of Clostridium subterminale cultured from the blood of a 72-year-old man who was ultimately diagnosed with metastatic gastrointestinal (GI) adenocarcinoma. The patient was rece...

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Main Authors: Kevin M. Trapani, Leigh J. Boghossian, Elizabeth Caskey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Infectious Diseases
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/6031510
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author Kevin M. Trapani
Leigh J. Boghossian
Elizabeth Caskey
author_facet Kevin M. Trapani
Leigh J. Boghossian
Elizabeth Caskey
author_sort Kevin M. Trapani
collection DOAJ
description Clostridium subterminale is a rare member of the Clostridiaceae family that is rarely cultured. This report examines a case of Clostridium subterminale cultured from the blood of a 72-year-old man who was ultimately diagnosed with metastatic gastrointestinal (GI) adenocarcinoma. The patient was receiving treatment for nosocomial pneumonia prior to culture of the C. subterminale, which led to suspicion for malignancy. Extensive GI and oncologic workup demonstrated multiple comorbidities and a primary GI cancer, which likely caused a breach in the GI mucosa and C. subterminale entrance into the bloodstream. After a prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay, the patient died on hospital day 23. Though rarely reported, C. subterminale septicemia has been demonstrated in patients with malignancy, specifically of the GI tract. Therefore, this case represents a typical C. subterminale septicemia patient. Given the prevalence of Clostridia and the contemporary emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) microorganisms, both typical and atypical cases regarding rare members of the species have a significant role in the clinical management and public health planning.
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spelling doaj-art-9d423617895c4db0a490e5b5c7bd33e92025-02-03T05:50:33ZengWileyCase Reports in Infectious Diseases2090-66252090-66332018-01-01201810.1155/2018/60315106031510Clostridium subterminale Septicemia in a Patient with Metastatic Gastrointestinal AdenocarcinomaKevin M. Trapani0Leigh J. Boghossian1Elizabeth Caskey2Nazareth Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USALankenau Medical Center, Wynnewood, PA, USAPhiladelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USAClostridium subterminale is a rare member of the Clostridiaceae family that is rarely cultured. This report examines a case of Clostridium subterminale cultured from the blood of a 72-year-old man who was ultimately diagnosed with metastatic gastrointestinal (GI) adenocarcinoma. The patient was receiving treatment for nosocomial pneumonia prior to culture of the C. subterminale, which led to suspicion for malignancy. Extensive GI and oncologic workup demonstrated multiple comorbidities and a primary GI cancer, which likely caused a breach in the GI mucosa and C. subterminale entrance into the bloodstream. After a prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay, the patient died on hospital day 23. Though rarely reported, C. subterminale septicemia has been demonstrated in patients with malignancy, specifically of the GI tract. Therefore, this case represents a typical C. subterminale septicemia patient. Given the prevalence of Clostridia and the contemporary emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) microorganisms, both typical and atypical cases regarding rare members of the species have a significant role in the clinical management and public health planning.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/6031510
spellingShingle Kevin M. Trapani
Leigh J. Boghossian
Elizabeth Caskey
Clostridium subterminale Septicemia in a Patient with Metastatic Gastrointestinal Adenocarcinoma
Case Reports in Infectious Diseases
title Clostridium subterminale Septicemia in a Patient with Metastatic Gastrointestinal Adenocarcinoma
title_full Clostridium subterminale Septicemia in a Patient with Metastatic Gastrointestinal Adenocarcinoma
title_fullStr Clostridium subterminale Septicemia in a Patient with Metastatic Gastrointestinal Adenocarcinoma
title_full_unstemmed Clostridium subterminale Septicemia in a Patient with Metastatic Gastrointestinal Adenocarcinoma
title_short Clostridium subterminale Septicemia in a Patient with Metastatic Gastrointestinal Adenocarcinoma
title_sort clostridium subterminale septicemia in a patient with metastatic gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/6031510
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AT leighjboghossian clostridiumsubterminalesepticemiainapatientwithmetastaticgastrointestinaladenocarcinoma
AT elizabethcaskey clostridiumsubterminalesepticemiainapatientwithmetastaticgastrointestinaladenocarcinoma