Serratia marcescens bacteremia associated with schistosomiasis mansoni

Abstract

The case of a 21-year-old man coming from rural Paraíba, northwestern Brazil, with schistosomiasis mansoni associated with Serratia marcescens bacteremia, is reported. His main complaints on admission were fever, diaphoresis and chills for ten days, and diarrhoea that lasted for four days. On physical examination he had jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly. Diagnosis of S. marcescens bacteremia was made by isolation of the bacterium in blood culture, and schistosomiasis was diagnosed by rectal and liver biopsies. This is the first time that the association of S. marcescens bacteremia and schistosomiasis mansoni is recognized. Although our case does not fit into the classic definition of prolonged bacteremia associated with schistosomiasis, it can be considered as a mild form of this association. With the improvement of medical assistance and laboratory facilities, early diagnosis of this association will be made more frequently, cases with short duration will be diagnosed few days after the start of the symptoms, and classic prolonged cases will become rarer.

Post-splenectomy infections in chronic schistosomiasis as a consequence of bacterial translocation

“…However, other studies have indicated that bacterial infections associated with schistosomiasis cause sepsis and pre-operational or post-surgical bacteremia (5) (8) (18) . The results of these studies are contradictory; therefore, it is of fundamental importance to perform detailed experimental surveys without biasing factors.…”