Fulminant Sepsis Due to Granulibacter bethesdensis in a 4-Year-Old Boy With X-Linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease

Abstract

Granulibacter bethesdensis is a Gram-negative bacillus described as a pathogen exclusively in patients with chronic granulomatous disease, a phagocytic disorder that impairs the ability to clear catalase-producing organisms. Granulibacter usually causes chronic and recurrent lymphadenopathies. We report the fatal case of a 4-year-old boy with chronic granulomatous disease, who presented with sepsis after a few days of abdominal pain and diarrhea.

Fatal Meningitis in Patient with X-Linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease Caused by Virulent Granulibacter bethesdensis

“…Until recently, all reported North America cases were nonfatal chronic infections; 1 case from Europe (Spain) was fatal. Recently, Mayer et al reported a X-linked CGD patient in the United States who died of fulminant infection with an organism with 100% identity to 500 bp of G. bethesdensis 16S ( 11 ). Unfortunately, that G. bethesdensis isolate was not available for analysis and comparison with other G. bethesdensis strains.…”

Fatal Meningitis in Patient with X-Linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease Caused by Virulent Granulibacter bethesdensis

“…Until recently, all reported North America cases were nonfatal chronic infections; 1 case from Europe (Spain) was fatal. Recently, Mayer et al reported an X-linked CGD patient in the United States who died of fulminant infection with an organism with 100% identity to 500 bp of G. bethesdensis 16S (11). Unfortunately, that G. bethesdensis isolate was not available for analysis and comparison with other G. bethesdensis strains.…”

Functional neutrophil disorders: Chronic granulomatous disease and beyond

“…30,31 In the US, there has been one case of fatal sepsis secondary to G. bethesdensis. 33 European strains of Granulibacter have been more severe in presentation. 34 Granulibacter requires special culture media, such as charcoal yeast extract and can be identified by 16S sequencing.…”

“…In the US, there has been one case of fatal sepsis secondary to G . bethesdensis 33 . European strains of Granulibacter have been more severe in presentation 34 .…”