Wound Botulism Caused by Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A in a Chronic Parenteral Drug Abuser

Botulism is an acute paralytic disease caused by botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT)-mediated inhibition of neurosignaling at the neuromuscular junction. BoNTs are produced by gram positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacteria from the genus <i>Clostridium,</i>most commonly<i> Clostridium botulinum</i>. Over the last decade, a previously uncommon form of botulism, wound botulism, has increased in prevalence possibly due to the rise in parenteral drug abuse. A 53-year-old patient with a history of drug abuse presents to a rural emergency department with rapidly progressing lower extremity weakness over the past few days. He reports a recent heroin injection into right buttock and diffuse skin-popping scarring was observed throughout. The patient was treated with heptavalent botulinum antitoxin obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A right thigh abscess culture was positive for<i> Clostridium tertium</i>, a left hip abscess culture was positive for methicillin-susceptible <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MSSA), and blood culture confirmed multi-microbial bacteremia caused by <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> and <i>Streptococcus mitis</i>. Serum analysis was positive for BoNT type A from a suspected concurrent<i> Clostridium botulinum</i> infection as <i>C. tertium</i> is not known to produce BoNT type A. This case report highlights the importance of early antitoxin treatment for patients with suspected wound botulism.

Infective Endocarditis

Infective endocarditis is a microbial infection of a cardiac valve or the mural endocardium caused by bacteria or fungi. Forms of this infection include subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE) and acute bacterial endocarditis (ABE). Etiology and epidemiology are discussed. There is a section on pathogenesis followed by specific clinical presentations, including endocarditis associated with parenteral drug abuse as well as prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). Diagnosis and cardiac complications of endocarditis, treatment, recommendations for prophylaxis, and prognosis are addressed. There are several figures showing manifestations and anatomic relations from the infection. Tables describe microorganisms that cause native valve endocarditis, the etiology of PVE, the Duke criteria for diagnosis of infective endocarditis, antimicrobial therapy for endocarditis in adults, guidelines to prevent endocarditis, and recommendations and regimens for endocarditis prophylaxis. This chapter contains 99 references.

Infective Endocarditis

Infective endocarditis is a microbial infection of a cardiac valve or the mural endocardium caused by bacteria or fungi. Forms of this infection include subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE) and acute bacterial endocarditis (ABE). Etiology and epidemiology are discussed. There is a section on pathogenesis followed by specific clinical presentations, including endocarditis associated with parenteral drug abuse as well as prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). Diagnosis and cardiac complications of endocarditis, treatment, recommendations for prophylaxis, and prognosis are addressed. There are several figures showing manifestations and anatomic relations from the infection. Tables describe microorganisms that cause native valve endocarditis, the etiology of PVE, the Duke criteria for diagnosis of infective endocarditis, antimicrobial therapy for endocarditis in adults, guidelines to prevent endocarditis, and recommendations and regimens for endocarditis prophylaxis. This chapter contains 99 references.

Infective Endocarditis

Infective endocarditis is a microbial infection of a cardiac valve or the mural endocardium caused by bacteria or fungi. Forms of this infection include subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE) and acute bacterial endocarditis (ABE). Etiology and epidemiology are discussed. There is a section on pathogenesis followed by specific clinical presentations, including endocarditis associated with parenteral drug abuse as well as prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). Diagnosis and cardiac complications of endocarditis, treatment, recommendations for prophylaxis, and prognosis are addressed. There are several figures showing manifestations and anatomic relations from the infection. Tables describe microorganisms that cause native valve endocarditis, the etiology of PVE, the Duke criteria for diagnosis of infective endocarditis, antimicrobial therapy for endocarditis in adults, guidelines to prevent endocarditis, and recommendations and regimens for endocarditis prophylaxis. This chapter contains 99 references.