Blood infection of Capnocytophaga canimorsus etiology following a dog bite: case report and review of the available literature.

Abstract

We present the case of a 71-year-old man who developed sepsis caused by Capnocytophaga canimorsus as a result of being bitten by his own dog. Positive blood cultures were obtained, but due to difficulties in determining the bacterial species, the patient was treated empirically with ceftriaxone and levofloxacin. After using the recommended empirical therapy, the patient's condition improved. Capnocytophaga canimorsus is difficult to identify, among others, due to its long growth time and specific development conditions (capnophiles). These Gram-negative bacilli cause a number of diseases in humans, ranging from infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, through peritonitis, to sepsis. The portal of infection with these bacteria is most often a wound caused by an animal bite. Additional risk factors that increase the risk of developing a severe infection and even death include older age, concomitant chronic diseases, and immunosuppression.