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J Pediatr Infect Dis 2010; 05(03): 281-284
DOI: 10.3233/JPI-2010-0252
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart – New York

Acinetobacter bacteremia following a hamster bite in a child with history of kidney transplant

Benjamin Azaran
a   Ahmanson Department of Pediatrics, Steven Spielberg Pediatric Research Center, Burns and Allen Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
,
Dechu Puliyanda
a   Ahmanson Department of Pediatrics, Steven Spielberg Pediatric Research Center, Burns and Allen Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
,
J. Wes Ulm
a   Ahmanson Department of Pediatrics, Steven Spielberg Pediatric Research Center, Burns and Allen Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
,
Ozlem Equils
a   Ahmanson Department of Pediatrics, Steven Spielberg Pediatric Research Center, Burns and Allen Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Publication History

20 July 2009

20 November 2009

Publication Date:
28 July 2015 (online)

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Abstract

Acinetobacter is an uncommon cause of serious infection in healthy individuals. Here we describe a case of Acinetobacter bacteremia in a 5-year-old kidney transplant patient following a hamster bite. Although most Acinetobacter infections occur following soil contamination of wounds, the organism is a natural constituent of oral flora in many animals, and can thus pose a risk to immunocompromised pet owners. Systemic Acinetobacter infection should therefore be considered in the differential diagnosis of febrile infections in immunocompromised children who are exposed to pets.

Keywords

Acinetobacter - hamster - immune-compromise - kidney transplant - animal bite - infection - pet ownership and child