Can J Infect Dis Med
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Can J Infect Dis Med · Sep 2014
Case ReportsBacteremia caused by Eggerthella lenta in an elderly man with a gastrointestinal malignancy: A case report.
Eggerthella lenta is an anaerobic, Gram-positive bacillus commonly found in the human digestive tract. Occasionally, it can cause life-threatening infections. ⋯ The authors report a case involving an elderly man with a newly diagnosed gastrointestinal malignancy who developed bacteremia caused by E lenta, treated successfully using empirical therapy with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam, followed by directed therapy with metronidazole once the identity and antibiotic susceptibility of the organism was established. The present case reinforces the connection between E lenta bacteremia with gastrointestinal malignancy and highlights the importance of searching for a source of bacteremia due to this organism.