Bacillus pumilus (B. pumilus) is a ubiquitous spore-forming bacteria that has rarely been implicated in extraintestinal infections, mostly in immunocompromised hosts. The authors report a case of B. pumilus cellulitis with bacteremia in a person who injects drugs living with human immunodeficiency virus-hepatitis C virus (HIV-HCV) co-infection. Although similar cases have been reported for some species of the genus, namely Bacillus anthracis (B. anthracis) and Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), this case reinforces the importance of considering other Bacillus spp. as potential pathogens in skin and soft tissue infections and bloodstream infections related to intravenous drug use.
Keywords: Bacillus pumilus; HCV infection; HIV infection; Heroin; bacteremia; substance-related disorders.
© 2024 The Authors.