Acute Encephalopathy in a Patient with Raoultella Ornithinolytica Infection: A Challenging Presentation

Raoultella ornithinolytica is a rare, gram-negative environmental enterobacterium. Although infections in humans caused by R. ornithinolytica arc uncommon, there are increasing reports implicating it in urinary tract infections, hepatobiliary infections, and bacteremia, designating it as an emerging...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inMedicine and health, Rhode Island Vol. 107; no. 6; pp. 7 - 9
Main Authors Mader, Daniel A, Kerrigan, Danielle, Pai, Jayram
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Providence Rhode Island Medical Society 01.06.2024
Subjects
Antibiotics
Ataxia
Case reports
Emergency medical care
Histamine
Infections
Ischemia
Leukocytes
Magnetic resonance imaging
Myasthenia gravis
Pathogens
Patients
Seafood
Stroke
Urogenital system
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Summary:Raoultella ornithinolytica is a rare, gram-negative environmental enterobacterium. Although infections in humans caused by R. ornithinolytica arc uncommon, there are increasing reports implicating it in urinary tract infections, hepatobiliary infections, and bacteremia, designating it as an emerging pathogen. Its habitat is primarily in aquatic environments and soil, with seafood frequently identified as a potential source of infection. While these infections have predominantly been described in immunocompromised patients previously, our case suggests that advanced age may be a significant risk factor. We describe a case of a 73-year-old man presenting with encephalopathy who then was found to have R. ornithinolytica bacteremia from a genitourinary source. Following antibiotic treatment, the infection resolved and the neurologic symptoms improved. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented case in the medical literature of R. ornithinolytica featuring a primary neurologic presentation.
ISSN:2327-2228