Surgical site infection due to Aeromonas species: report of nine cases and literature review

Scand J Infect Dis. 2009;41(3):164-70. doi: 10.1080/00365540802660492.

Abstract

Gastrointestinal and wound infections are the most common clinical presentation of Aeromonas. Surgical site infections (SSIs) due to this microorganism are rare. We studied the clinical and microbiological characteristics of 9 cases that appeared at 2 Spanish hospitals and reviewed 15 cases available in the literature. All patients (including our cases) had gastrointestinal or biliary diseases. 21 patients (91.3%) developed SSIs after abdominal or pelvic surgery. The mean duration from surgery to the onset of wound infection was 2.2 d in our 9 patients. The infection was polymicrobial in 17 patients (77.2%) and 19 cases were nosocomial (95%). Clinical outcome of all cases was uniformly good after treatment except for 2 patients. Two patients were cured only with surgical drainage. In conclusion, SSIs due to Aeromonas species have a probable endogenous source after abdominal or pelvic surgery and the onset is rapid in most cases. Clinical outcome is good after antibiotic treatment but surgical drainage without antibiotic therapy can be sufficient to clear the infection in some cases.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aeromonas / genetics
  • Aeromonas / isolation & purification*
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cross Infection* / drug therapy
  • Cross Infection* / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection* / microbiology
  • Cross Infection* / therapy
  • Female
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections* / drug therapy
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections* / epidemiology
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections* / microbiology
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Surgical Wound Infection* / drug therapy
  • Surgical Wound Infection* / epidemiology
  • Surgical Wound Infection* / microbiology
  • Surgical Wound Infection* / therapy
  • Virulence Factors / genetics

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Virulence Factors