Rare purulent pericarditis caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii: A case report

• Published in: Medicine (Baltimore) Vol. 98; no. 38; p. e17034
• Main Authors: Liu, Jingjing, Xiao, Xuefei, Cen, Chaoqun, Yuan, Hong, Yang, Mingshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc 01-09-2019; Wolters Kluwer Health
• Subjects: Acinetobacter baumannii - drug effects; Acinetobacter baumannii - isolation & purification; Acinetobacter Infections - complications; Acinetobacter Infections - diagnosis; Acute Kidney Injury - complications; Acute Kidney Injury - diagnosis; Aged; Carbapenems - pharmacology; Clinical Case Report; Diagnosis, Differential; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Fatal Outcome; Humans; Male; Non-ST Elevated Myocardial Infarction - complications; Non-ST Elevated Myocardial Infarction - diagnosis; Pericardiocentesis; Pericarditis - complications; Pericarditis - diagnosis; Pericarditis - diagnostic imaging; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 0025-7974; 1536-5964
• DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000017034

Pericardial infection caused by Acinetobacter baumannii is rare, particularly that of carbapenem-resistant A baumannii (CRAB).
We describe a rare case of purulent pericarditis due to CRAB in a 76-year-old man with acute myocardial infarction and acute kidney injury. The man was admitted to the intensive care unit for a catheter-related bloodstream infection. Pericardial effusion was detected via the bedside X-ray and ultrasound, and pericardiocentesis was performed. Cultures of the pericardial fluid, catheter tip, and blood independently revealed the presence of CRAB. These findings confirmed a diagnosis of purulent pericarditis.
Clinicians should be reminded that CRAB infection can lead to purulent pericarditis, particularly in patients with congestive heart failure or renal insufficiency.