Fulminant gram-negative bacillemia (DF-2) following a dog bite in an asplenic woman

Abstract

In a 56 year old woman, shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation, symmetrical peripheral gangrene and the adult respiratory distress syndrome developed following a dog bite. She suffered from chronic alcoholism and was asplenic. The newly described gram-negative bacillus (DF-2) was isolated from the initial blood cultures on the eighth hospital day when she was recovering from the illness. Penicillin G, clindamycin, or both (administered intravenously in large doses), and therapy directed toward the severe complications appeared responsible for her successful outcome.