Bacteremia due to Hungatella effluvii in a patient with end-stage renal failure requiring hemodialysis: a case report and literature review of human infections caused by Hungatella spp.

Abstract

Hungatella effluvii infections in humans are rare. We report a case of H. effluvii bacteremia in a Japanese male with chronic kidney disease identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing after initial misidentification as Clostridium species. Despite treatment, the patient died of sepsis related to a nephrostomy catheter infection. A literature review suggests that Hungatella spp. infections may be associated with severe diseases, such as sepsis and necrotizing fasciitis. This case highlights the difficulty in microbial identification, as biochemical methods were insufficient, requiring molecular biological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) revealed resistance to benzylpenicillin and moxifloxacin, consistent with prior reports. This is the third documented case of H. effluvii infection, emphasizing the need for accurate pathogen identification and AST to guide optimal treatment in rare infections.