Friedlander bacillus bacteremia

Abstract

Rare instances of Friedlander bacillus bacteremia have been reported. Recently such an infection was encountered. The following are the most important data. An Italian girl, eight years old, was taken ill during the evening of March 19. All day she had been apparently well and ate a hearty supper with a large portion of egg-plant. At bedtime it was noticed that she was somewhat shivery and feverish but did not appear definitely ill. Went to sleep but at midnight was nauseated, vomiting and shivering. Her people were up with her during the night and in the morning she appeared quite ill. She was sleepy and dull. There was considerable trembling and some stiffness of the neck. She mumbled a great deal. A physician suspected meningitis and sent her to the University Hospital of the Good Shepherd. An examination of the spinal fluid gave normal findings. The patient was under the care of Drs. Cornell Smith and A. C. Silverman of the Pediatric Service. The physical examination was negative except for the following: “Examination of the lungs shows some harsh breathing in the upper right lobe, posteriorly. Occasionally coarse, moist rales are heard. Respirations are rapid and shallow, 52 to the minute. Pulse 160, temperature 103.”

A blood culture was made on March 21 at 4 p. m. The following morning growth was observed. The flask had the odor of colon bacillus growth. In the hanging drop there was apparently no true motility. Subcultures were made on the usual media including lactose, dextrose and saccharose broth. The subcultures on the solid media gave the appearance of the colon bacillus. The growth was not particularly viscid. It was not sticky or tenacious.