Introduction: Hafnia alvei is a commensal organism of the digestive tract. It is best known as an agent of pediatric gastro-enteritis. In adults, this organism may exceptionally be responsible for extra-intestinal infections. In such cases, infections occur mainly in unusually susceptible patients, due to an underlying condition.
Case report: A 69 year-old man who had recently undergone surgery for a gastric stromal tumor was admitted to hospital because of H. alvei bacteremia accompanied by liver and right iliac muscle abscesses. The course was favourable with a 60 day treatment of fluoroquinolone.
Commentary: H. alvei is usually considered as moderately or non pathogenic for humans. However, recent descriptions of severe community or nosocomial infections due to H. alvei have challenged this belief. The actual role of H. alvei in human disease remains to be defined.