Case Report: Shewanella algae, a rare cause of osteosynthesis-associated infection

F1000Res. 2024 Sep 2:12:1465. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.142096.2. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Shewanella is an emerging human pathogen. It mostly causes skin and soft tissue infections. Osteosynthesis-associated infection involving Shewanella are rare and in most cases are secondary to direct contamination following open fractures in aquatic environments. Here, we present a rare case of hematogenous osteosynthesis-associated infection involving Shewanella algae affecting an 18-year-old patient who was operated on for 12 th thoracic vertebrae and 4th lumbar vertebrae fractures occurring in an aquatic environment. We performed surgical debridement with subsequent double course parenteral antibiotherapy that was then adapted to bacteria sensitivities for three weeks. After a follow-up of six months, the patient had no signs of recurrent infection. The presence of infected dermabrasions and the concordance between germs isolated in operative samples and in blood cultures presumes that the contamination was hematogenous.

Keywords: Hematogenous; Infection; Osteosynthesis; Osteosynthesis-associated infection; Shewanella.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Fracture Fixation, Internal / adverse effects
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections* / drug therapy
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections* / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Shewanella*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents

Supplementary concepts

  • Shewanella algae

Grants and funding

The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work.