[Pasteurella multocida septicaemia and pneumonia after chemotherapy in a patient who had no known contact with animals]

Abstract

Pasteurella multocida inhabits the upper respiratory tract of many animals. It can cause skin and soft tissue infections in humans, usually in association with animal bites. We present a case of a 66-year-old chemotherapy-induced immunocompromised patient with lung cancer, who was treated for pneumonia and septicaemia due to P. multocida. There was no anamnestic contact with animals, which underlines the fact that immunocompromised patients can suffer from serious systemic infections due to P. multocida - even with no known animal contact.