Case Report
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 14, 2009; 15(42): 5360-5363
Published online Nov 14, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.5360
Liver abscess and sepsis with Bacillus pantothenticus in an immunocompetent patient: A first case report
Jung Sik Na, Tae Hyung Kim, Heung Su Kim, Sang Hyun Park, Ho Sup Song, Sang Woo Cha, Hee Jung Yoon
Jung Sik Na, Tae Hyung Kim, Heung Su Kim, Sang Hyun Park, Ho Sup Song, Sang Woo Cha, Hee Jung Yoon, Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji University College of Medicine, Daejeon 302-799, South Korea
Author contributions: Na JS and Kim TH contributed equally to this work; Na JS, Kim TH, Kim HS, Park SH, Song HS, Cha SW and Yoon HJ designed the research; Na JS, Kim TH, Kim HS and Park SH performed the research; Song HS, Cha SW and Yoon HJ contributed new reagents/analytic tools; Na JS, Kim TH and Yoon HJ analyzed data; Na JS, Kim TH, Kim HS and Yoon HJ wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Hee Jung Yoon, MD, PhD, Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji University College of Medicine, 1306 Dunsandong, Seogu, Daejeon 302-799, South Korea. yhj822@medimail.co.kr
Telephone: +82-42-6113096 Fax: +82-42-6113853
Received: August 16, 2009
Revised: September 19, 2009
Accepted: September 26, 2009
Published online: November 14, 2009
Abstract

Bacillus species are aerobic, gram-positive, spore forming rods that are usually found in the soil, dust, streams, and other environmental sources. Except for Bacillus. anthracis (B. anthracis), most species display low virulence, and only rarely cause infections in hosts with weak or damaged immune systems. There are two case reports of B. cereus as a potentially serious bacterial pathogen causing a liver abscess in an immunologically competent patient. We herein report a case of liver abscess and sepsis caused by B. pantothenticus in an immunocompetent patient. Until now, no case of liver abscess due to B. pantothenticus has been reported.

Keywords: Bacillus pantothenticus; Bacillus species; Immunocompetence; Liver abscess and sepsis