Chromobacterium violaceum bacteremia: a case report

Chang-Hua Chen, Li-Chen Lin, Chun-Eng Liu, Tzuu-Guang Young
Division of Infections Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan, ROC

Chromobacterium violaceum is confined in tropical and subtropical regions, which can cause life-threatening disease. It is the only Chromobacterium species that is pathogenic to humans. Because of its rarity, clinicians often do not appreciate its importance when it is isolated. We report a fulminate fatal case of C. violaceum bacteremia in a 20-year-old male Taiwanese. The clinical manifestations were fever and abdominal pain, followed by shock and pulmonary septic embolism. Emergent laparotomy identified acute appendicitis with rupture. Flomoxef sodium was administered immediately. However, his condition deteriorated rapidly and he died within 48 h after the onset of illness. Two sets of blood culture yielded C. violaceum. Physicians should be aware of the occurrence of this infection in summer season.

J Microbiol Immunol Infect 2003;36:141-144.