Septic shock caused by a carbon dioxide-dependent and extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Proteus mirabilis small colony variant in a long-term bedridden patient

Abstract

Here, we report a 60-year-old chronically bedridden man with cerebral palsy who had septic shock following a history of urinary tract infection with extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing and auxotrophic Proteus mirabilis detected on blood and urine cultures. This auxotroph formed small colonies only on the blood agar at 24 h in 5% CO₂, but not in the conditions without CO₂, and lacked motility and some biochemical activities. The five-year history of stones in the right renal pelvis suggests chronic urinary tract infection with P. mirabilis requiring a 28-day antibiotic treatment. This paper highlights that the CO₂-dependent P. mirabilis small colony variant may cause sepsis, probably due to chronic infection in uroliths, which should warrant immediate identification.

Keywords: Auxotroph; Carbon dioxide-dependent; Proteus mirabilis; Small colony variant.