Capnocytophaga ochracea bacteremia following gastrectomy for gastric cancer in a patient with diabetes and poor oral hygiene: A case report and literature review.
Yukie Takumi, Takehiro Hashimoto, Ryota Tanaka et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A 74-year-old man with diabetes developed Capnocytophaga ochracea bacteremia following a laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. On postoperative day 6, he presented with erythema at the surgical site. Despite imaging showing no abscess, blood cultures confirmed the presence of C. ochracea. The patient was treated with meropenem, leading to resolution of the infection.
What made this case unusual
This case highlights Capnocytophaga ochracea bacteremia occurring in a postoperative setting, particularly in a patient with diabetes and poor oral hygiene, which is atypical as such infections are usually seen in immunocompromised individuals.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should consider Capnocytophaga ochracea as a potential pathogen in postoperative infections, especially in patients with poor oral hygiene.
Why it matters
Recognizing this association can aid in timely diagnosis and treatment, potentially improving outcomes in similar high-risk patients.