Unexpected Culprit: A Case Report of Pleuropulmonary Pantoea septica Infection in a Ketamine User

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 16; no. 7; p. e65597
• Main Authors: Kyaw, Pyae, Sharma, Nava R, Soe, Khin, Lin, Yu Shia, Sharma, Shaurya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 28.07.2024; Cureus
• Subjects: Adenosine; Antibiotics; Blood; Case reports; Chest tubes; Dyspnea; Immunocompetence; Infections; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Intensive care; Internal Medicine; Ketamine; Neutrophils; Pathogenesis; Pathogens; Pneumonia; Recreational drugs; Substance abuse treatment; Substance Use and Addiction; United States > US; gram negative bactermia; pleuropulmonary infection; pantoea species; pantoea infection; chronic ketamine user
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.65597

, a gram-negative bacillus typically associated with opportunistic bloodstream infections in neonatal intensive care units, rarely causes pulmonary infections in immunocompetent individuals. We present a case of a 30-year-old male with multifocal cavitary pneumonia, bilateral parapneumonic effusions, and positive blood cultures for , occurring in the setting of prior ketamine abuse. The patient presented with fever, productive cough, chest pain, and worsening dyspnea, without significant medical history or immunocompromising conditions. Diagnostic evaluation revealed elevated inflammatory markers, characteristic radiographic findings, and successful treatment with intravenous antibiotics and pleural drainage. This case highlights the diagnostic challenge posed by in pulmonary infections and suggests a potential link between ketamine abuse and susceptibility to uncommon pathogens, warranting further investigation into its immunomodulatory effects.