Glossary of Medical and Health Terms

Pasteurellosis

Pasteurellosis is an infection with a species of the bacteria genus Pasteurella, which is found in humans and animals. Pasteurella multocida (P. septica) is carried in the mouth and respiratory tract of several animals, notably cats. It is a small gram negative bacillus with bipolar staining by Wayson coloration.

In animals it can originate fulminant septicaemia (chicken cholera), but is also a common commensal. Pasteurellosis in humans is associated with a close animal contact, namely a cat bite

There are several forms of the infection:

• Cutaneous / subcutaneous disease is a septic phlegmon that develops classically in the hand and forearm after a cat bite. Inflammatory signs are very rapid to develop; in one or two hours edema, severe pain and serosanguineous exudate appear. Fever, moderate or very high can be seen alongside vomiting, headache and diarrhea. Lymphangitis is usual. Complications are possible, in the form of septic arthritis, osteitis or evolution to chronicity.
• Septicaemia is very rare, but can be as fulminant as septicaemic plague, with high fever, rigors and vomiting followed by shock and coagulopathy.
• Pneumonic disease is also rare and appears in patients with some chronic pulmonary pathology. It usualy presents as billateral consolidating pneumonia, sometimes very severe.
• Other locations are possible, like septic arthritis, meningitis and acute endocarditis, but are very rare.

Diagnosis is made by isolation of Pasteurella multocida in a normally sterile site. Pasteurellosis is usually treated with a high dose of penicillin. Tetracycline and chloramphenicol provide an alternative in beta-lactam intolerant patients.

Associated ICD-10 code: A28.0.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurellosis

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