Fulminant septicaemic syndrome of Bacillus cereus: three case reports

Abstract

Three patients with acute leukaemia, who were severely neutropenic and iatrogenically immunosuppressed post-chemotherapy, developed rapidly fatal septicaemic shock and coma caused by Bacillus cereus (B. cereus). The illness was marked by two phases: a mild febrile illness lasting 6-14 h and accompanied by subtle symptoms of autonomic sympathetic nervous system overactivity, and a second short fulminant one, marked by high fever of 40-41 degrees C accompanied by major central nervous system disturbances, and ending with deep coma and brain stem dysfunction. One patient developed the sepsis in spite of 4 days of coverage with amikacin. In the other two patients, amikacin was commenced at the earliest phase of the infection, but failed to influence the outcome. This form of B. cereus sepsis in neutropenic patients seems to be caused by strains capable of causing bacteraemia and meningitis and has the ability to produce a substance that causes leptomeningeal and neuronal necrosis. Lack of early clinical and laboratory markers inevitably leads to death. Use of antibiotics effective against B. cereus and capable of achieving high concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid. and identification and neutralization of the necrotizing substance may hopefully help to reverse this fatal illness.