Pneumonia caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica in a patient with a thoracic trauma

Abstract

We report a case of pneumonia, caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica, in a previously healthy, immunocompetent 37-year-old male patient who had suffered chest injury in a car accident. The patient was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit where endotracheal intubation was performed. Seventy-two hours later he presented with fever associated with pulmonary affection which was diagnosed as right lobar pneumonia. Abundant colonies of B. bronchiseptica were isolated from the pharyngeal exudate and respiratory secretions, suggesting prior oropharyngeal colonization by B. bronchiseptica, as a result of repeated contact with his dog, with subsequent infection of the lower respiratory tract assisted by the process of intubation. We review different human infections produced by B.bronchiseptica as well as the antibiotic susceptibility studies performed.