Abstract
Fusobacterium septicemia, corroborated by four positive blood cultures and a positive bone marrow culture, occurred in a forty-six year old man. The organism was identified as F. polymorphum. The illness was characterized by high fever, shaking chills and profuse diaphoresis. Leukocytosis, anemia, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and abnormal liver function tests were present. Biopsy of the liver showed focal necrosis and acute inflammation. Tetracycline therapy, administered intravenously for thirty-six hours and orally for fourteen days thereafter, was associated with clinical recovery, negative blood cultures and return to normal of laboratory findings. Fifty-three cases of fusobacterium septicemia, of which twenty represented infection by that organism alone, were collected from the literature. Positive blood cultures or presence of distant metastases were considered evidence of septicemia. Analysis of these cases disclosed striking similarities. The most outstanding of these are (1) a gastrointestinal or pulmonary site of origin; (2) metastases to the liver or brain; (3) poor prognosis without antibiotic therapy.
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