Pasteurella multocida multiple intrapelvic abscesses in a young woman with uterine cervical cancer.

Abstract

Pasteurella multocida, a zoonotic pathogen in humans, is known to be associated with skin and soft tissue infections following animal bites, but rarely causes visceral infections. We report a case of P.multocida-associated multiple intrapelvic abscesses in a young woman with uterine cervical cancer. A 29-year-old unmarried woman was referred to us because of prolonged high fever accompanying abdominal pain with muscular guarding. She had a domestic cat but denied of any bites or scratches before that. Computed tomography demonstrated ascites and multiple abscesses around her uterus. Her condition did not improve with an initial treatment with flomoxef, clindamycin, and azithromycin. Further, we performed percutaneous pus drainage and switched the antimicrobial therapy to a combination of piperacillin/tazobactam and minocycline for 10 days. Although P.multocida was isolated from vaginal culture, no organisms were isolated from the pus culture. However, further investigation with specimen-direct 16S rDNA analysis diagnosed P.multocida as possibly a single pathogen responsible for the intrapelvic infection. After taking oral levofloxacin for two weeks, no recurrence was reported. Although P.multocida is known as an animal-related pathogen, it can transmit to humans without apparent bites or scratches. The present case illustrates that P.multocida can cause intrapelvic abscess as a result of ascending genital infection.