[Pulmonary pasteurellosis in a young patient with multiple trauma]

Abstract

A case is reported of an 18-year-old male patient who had a road traffic accident, with head and chest injuries. The patient was admitted to the surgical intensive care unit 24 h later because of an alteration of his level of consciousness. He required artificial ventilation. Five days later, he developed right-sided lower lobe pneumonia, treated with positive end-expiratory pressure. A Gram negative organism was found on bronchial brushing, but not in haemocultures. It was identified as Pasteurella multocida, sensitive to beta-lactamines, but not to amikacin. Cefotaxime, which had been started immediately after the arrival of the Gram stain result, was continued. Artificial ventilation was discontinued on day 12, and the patient left the unit on day 15. The patient was probably a P. multocida carrier, being in close contact with animals before his accident. This bacteria is often found in infected animal bite wounds. Pneumonia due to this bacteria usually occurs in immunodepressed patients, which was not the case here.