Escherichia coli community-acquired necrotizing pneumonia, an uncommon presentation of a common pathogen: A case report and literature review.

Abstract

Community-acquired necrotizing pneumonia is a rare but potentially fatal infection, mainly caused by specific pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Escherichia coli is extremely rare as a pathogen for community-acquired necrotizing pneumonia, typically accompanied with bloodstream infection. Here, we report an unusual case of a 60-year-old man with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and no bloodstream infections, who had severe necrotizing E. coli pneumonia leading to massive hemoptysis and death. Clinicians should be aware of this pathogen in respiratory infections, as it requires immediate pathogen detection and usually aggressive antibiotic treatment.