Endocarditis infecciosa en válvula nativa mitral por Hafnia alvei / Infective endocarditis in native mitral valve by Hafnia alvei

We report the case of a 40-year-old male patient with no prior personal pathological history, who had a prolonged febrile syndrome without being associated with other important clinical features. He was diagnosed with subacute bacterial endocarditis in the native mitral valve by an atypical pathogen: Hafnia Alvei. After an exhaustive review of the bibliography of the last 20 years corresponding to the Cuban medical journals, we conclude that we are facing the first clinical case of this type published in Cuba(AU)

Se presenta el caso clínico de un paciente masculino de 40 años de edad, sin antecedentes patológicos personales, portador de un síndrome febril prolongado sin asociarse a otros elementos clínicos de importancia. Se le diagnosticó una endocarditis bacteriana subaguda en válvula mitral nativa por un germen patógeno atípico: Hafnia alvei. Tras realizar una exhaustiva revisión de la bibliografía de los últimos 20 años correspondiente a las revistas médicas cubanas, se concluye que estamos frente al primer caso clínico de este tipo publicado en Cuba(AU)

Hafnia Alvei Keratitis after Using a Therapeutic Contact Lens in a Patient with Graft-Versus-Host Disease

PURPOSE: To report a case of bacterial keratitis caused by Hafnia alvei after using a contact lens in a patient with graft-versus-host disease. CASE SUMMARY: A 47-year-old male patient presented with a corneal ulcer. The patient had been wearing a therapeutic contact lens for a month because of severe dry eye syndrome and filament removal due to filamentary keratitis. The patient had been taking moxifloxacin to prevent infection, but had not for the previous 7 days. The corneal ulcer occurred at the 11 o'clock direction in the peripheral cornea accompanied by corneal epithelial defect and stromal infiltration. The corneal scraping and culture yielded Hafnia alvei, which is susceptible to ceftazidime, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin. There was no systemic signs or symptoms to suspect systemic infection. After treatment with a topical antibiotic agent, the patient's eye condition improved with only mild corneal opacity remaining. CONCLUSIONS: Hafnia alvei infection rarely occurs in humans but should be considered as a potential causal pathogen in immunosuppressed patients.

A Case of Biliary Sepsis Caused by Hafnia Alvei in a Patient with Cholangiocarcinoma / 대한내과학회지

Hafnia alvei is a Gram-negative rod that is rarely isolated from human specimens and is rarely pathogenic. It has been associated with gastroenteritis, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, bacteremia, and nosocomial wound infection, but extra-intestinal H. alvei infection is very rare. We present a case of biliary sepsis caused by H. alvei. A 42-year-old woman was admitted with abdominal pain and jaundice. She was diagnosed with metastatic cholangiocarcinoma and received conservative treatment. Six days later, hyperbilirubinemia and signs of sepsis developed and H. alvei was isolated from both the bile and blood. Despite treatment with antibiotics the organism was sensitive to (it was documented as susceptible to piperacillin/tazobactam and ciprofloxacin in sensitivity tests), the patient's condition grew worse. The antibiotics were switched to meropenem and the biliary sepsis was resolved.

Reporte de cuatro casos clínicos de bacteriemia por Hafnia alvei en una unidad cardio-quirúrgica pediátrica / Report of four clinical cases of Hafnia alvei bacteremia in a pediatric cardiac surgery unit

Introduction: The gram-negative bacillus Hafnia alvei is the only species of the genus Hafnia, family Enterobacteriaceae. It occasionally behaves as an opportunistic pathogen in humans, causing intestinal and respiratory infection and sepsis. It rarely causes bacteremia, usually of unknown focus. Objective: To describe a nosocomial outbreak of four pediatric patients with bacteremia by Hafnia alvei. Methods: Descriptive study using clinical records of pediatric patients diagnosed with Hafnia alvei bacteremia in a pediatric cardio surgical unit, in October 2008. Results: The attack rate was 4/8 (50 percent), lethality rate 2/4 (50 percent) and mortality 2/8 (25 percent). The microbiological study and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis confirmed the same clonal bacterial strain. Discussion: The source of bacteremia was identified only in two patients and was associated with central venous catheters. The other two cases had no known infectious source. Epidemiological surveillance of emerging agents must be maintained.

Introducción: Hajhia alvei, bacilo Gram negativo, constituye la única especie del género Hajhia, familia Enterobacteriaceae. En el humano se comporta ocasionalmente como oportunista produciendo infección intestinal, respiratoria y sepsis. Es causa infrecuente de bacteriemias, generalmente de foco infeccioso desconocido. Objetivo: Describir un brote intrahospitalario de cuatro pacientes pediátricos con bacteriemias por Hajhia alvei. Método: Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de los registros clínicos de cuatro pacientes pediátricos con diagnóstico de bacte-riemia por Hajhia alvei en una unidad cardioquirúrgica pediátrica identificados en octubre del 2008. Resultados: La tasa de ataque fue 4/8 (50 por ciento), tasa de letalidad 2/4 (50 por ciento) y de mortalidad de 2/8 (25 por ciento). El estudio micro-biológico y la electroforesis de campo pulsado confirman la misma cepa bacteriana clonal. Discusión: Se identificó el origen de la bacteriemia sólo en dos pacientes asociado a catéter venoso central. Los otros dos casos no tuvieron foco infeccioso conocido. Se debe mantener vigilancia epidemiológica de agentes emergentes.

Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Caused by Hafnia alvei in a Patient with Liver Cirrhosis / 감염과화학요법

Hafnia alvei is a gram-negative bacillus that is rarely isolated from human clinical specimens and is rarely pathogenic. This organism is an extremely uncommon cause of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). We report a case of an 83-year-old male with hepatitis C-associated liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma who was diagnosed with SBP caused by H. alvei. He was admitted to an university-affiliated hospital with fever and abdominal pain. There were 2 episodes of SBP during 2 months. Although isolates of H. alvei from ascitic fluid were shown to be susceptible to cefotaxime, responses for cefotaxime treatment were inadequate in both episodes. Therefore, cefotaxime was switched to imipenem in the first episode and to ciprofloxacin in the second, according to the results of antimicrobial susceptibility. After the antibiotics was changed, SBP was resolved.

A Case of Hafnia alvei Peritonitis with Septicemia / 대한임상미생물학회지

Hafnia alvei is gram-negative bacilli that is rarely isolated from human specimens and is rarely considered to be pathogenic. It has been associated with gastroenteritis, pneumonia, meningitis, bacteremia, and nosocomial wound infections. But, no case of extraintestinal H. alvei infection was documented in Korea to our knowledge. A 50-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma was admitted to our hospital via emergecy department because of abdominal pain. The peritoneal fluid and 3 consecutive blood cutures yielded H. alvei. The organism was susceptible to all antimicrobial agents tested, except cefazolin. Despite treatment with intravenous cefotaxime, the patient was expired after 4 days due to septicemia.