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Case Reports
. 2013 Jan 4:13:4.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-13-4.

A successful antimicrobial regime for Chromobacterium violaceum induced bacteremia

James I Campbell  1 , Nguyen Phu Huong Lan, Phan Tu Qui, Le Thi Dung, Jeremy J Farrar, Stephen Baker
Affiliations
Case Reports

A successful antimicrobial regime for Chromobacterium violaceum induced bacteremia

James I Campbell et al. BMC Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Chromobacterium violaceum is a proteobacterium found in soil and water in tropical regions. The organism rarely causes infection in humans, yet can cause a severe systemic infection by entering the bloodstream via an open wound.

Case presentation: We recently identified a case of severe bacteremia caused by Chromobacterium violaceum at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Here, we describe how rapid microbiological identification and a combination of antimicrobials was used to successfully treat this life threatening infection in a four-year-old child.

Conclusions: This case shows the need for rapid diagnosis when there is the suspicion of a puncture wound contaminated with water and soil in tropical regions. We suggest that the aggressive antimicrobial combination used here is considered when this infection is suspected.

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References

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