An Immunocompetent Case of Capnocytophaga canimorsus Infection Complicated by Secondary Thrombotic Microangiopathy and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

Intern Med. 2019 Dec 1;58(23):3479-3482. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.3110-19. Epub 2019 Jul 22.

Abstract

A 62-year-old woman with no previous history developed a Capnocytophaga canimorsus infection followed by thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). She was treated with antibiotics and plasma exchange (PE) and recovered. C. canimorsus sepsis sometimes causes not only DIC but also TMA. The mortality of TMA is extremely high, so we should not hesitate to perform PE when a patient shows TMA symptoms.

Keywords: Capnocytophaga canimorsus; disseminated intravascular coagulation; emerging infection; sepsis; thrombotic microangiopathy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bites and Stings
  • Capnocytophaga*
  • Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / drug therapy
  • Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / microbiology*
  • Female
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / complications*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunocompetence
  • Middle Aged
  • Plasma Exchange / adverse effects
  • Sepsis / diagnosis
  • Thrombotic Microangiopathies / microbiology*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents