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Case report: isolation of Hydrogenophaga from septic blood culture following near-death drowning in lakewater

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: A patient suffered a non-fatal wet drowning in a freshwater lake and developed bacteremia several days later. Blood culture grew a Gram-negative rod that could not be identified by MALDI-TOF MS. 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing of the isolate identified the microbe as Hydrogenophaga laconesensis––an environmental microbe commonly found in freshwater. The recovery of multiple pathogenic microorganisms (although not Hydrogenophaga laconesensis) from culture of respiratory specimens prompted the initiation of antibiotic therapy with cefepime and, later, vancomycin. The patient’s clinical course gradually improved over the course of two weeks and she was ultimately discharged home with minimal sequelae. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of human infection with bacteria in the Hydrogenophaga genus. Hydrogenophaga may be considered in cases of freshwater near-drowning, and MALDI-TOF MS databases should be updated to include Hydrogenophaga laconesensis.

Source: Access Microbiology

DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000533.v4