Shewanella infection of snake bites: a twelve-year retrospective study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:Infections of snake bite wounds by Shewanella are rarely discussed in the medical literature. This study aims to characterize the presentation and management of Shewanella infections in snake bite wounds.METHOD:We retrospectively investigated the microbiology, clinical features, and outcomes of patients with Shewanella infected snake bite wounds admitted to a tertiary medical center from January 1998 to December 2009.RESULTS:Ten patients with Shewanella-infected snake bite wounds were identified. All of the snake bites were caused by cobras. The majority of patients had moderate to severe local envenomation and polymicrobial infections. Shewanella isolates are susceptible to ampicillin-sulbactam, piperacillin-tazobactam, third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, carbapenems, aminoglycosides, and quinolones but are resistant to penicillin and cefazolin. All of the patients examined had favorable outcomes.CONCLUSION:It is recommended that Shewanella infection be considered in snake bite patients, especially when patients present with moderate to severe local envenomation.

Oral and cloacal aerobic bacterial and fungal flora of free-living four-lined snakes (Elaphe quatuorlineata) from Croatia

“…Most of the investigations studied bacteria from the oral cavity of venomous snakes and complications of snake bites (JHO et al, 2011;LIU et al, 2012). Non-venomous snakes may also harbor a wide range of bacteria in their oral cavity able to complicate the bite wounds (DIPINETO M. Lukač et al: Oral and cloacal aerobic microflora of four-lined snakes (Elaphe quatuorlineata) from Croatia et al, YAK et al, 2015) so the information on their microflora should not be neglected.…”

Shewanella algae and Morganella morganii Coinfection in Cobra-Bite Wounds: A Genomic Analysis

“…Shewanella is probably an underestimated and underreported cause of wound infections following snake bites [ 13 ]. In a retrospective study of Shewanella infection of snake bites during a twelve-year period, Po-Yu Liu et al reported that Shewanella infection was associated with moderate to severe local envenomation [ 14 ]. Coinfection with S. algae and M. morganii of wounds from the N. atra bite is rare.…”

Characteristics and Phylogeny ofShewanella haliotisIsolated from Cultivated Shellfish in Taiwan

“…However, the risk of Shewanella infection caused by seafood consumption as well as the ecological distribution of S. haliotis in marine environment are still unclear [ 21 , 22 ]. To date, S. haliotis has caused several cases of soft tissue infections and bacteremia, of which most were seen in Asian countries during warm seasons [ 23 ]. Most patients lived in coastal areas and had a history of seawater contact or seafood consumption [ 10 , 12 ].…”