First report of a prosthetic joint infection with Fannyhessea (Atopobium) vaginae

Fannyhessea vaginae causing bacteraemia and vertebral osteomyelitis: first report of invasive disease in a male

Introduction.Fannyhessea vaginae (formerly Atopobium vaginae) is an anaerobic organism commonly associated with female genital flora, with rare cases of invasive disease reported in females. Case report. We discuss the case of an 81-year-old male who presented with an acute history of back pain and signs of urinary tract infection in the context of intermittent self-urinary catheterisation. Multiple blood cultures grew Fannyhessea vaginae with a later finding of lumbar vertebral osteomyelitis as the cause of back pain. Treatment was commenced with ampicillin, later switched to ceftriaxone, with improvement of acute signs of infection. Conclusion. Gram-positive anaerobic organisms including Fannyhessea vaginae are possibly under-recognised causes of urinary tract particularly in older males. These bacteria may prove challenging to grow in standard protocols for urine culture; anaerobic or extended incubation could be considered particularly in complicated cases of urinary tract infection without an identifiable pathogen.

A rare bacteremia caused by Fannyhessea vaginae in a pregnant woman: case report and literature review

Bloodstream infection caused by anaerobic microorganisms continues to be associated with a high mortality risk, necessitating a rapid diagnosis and an appropriate treatment. As an anaerobic gram-positive organism associated with vaginal infections, Fannyhessea vaginae is a rare cause of invasive infections. In this case, a 32-year-old pregnant woman with bacterial vaginosis presented with bacteremia. The microbiological analysis of the blood cultures identified F. vaginae. The patient was treated empirically with 5 days of cefoperazone/sulbactam and recovered well. Here, we provide a review of the literature on F. vaginae infections, and the reported cases demonstrate the need for awareness of the different anaerobic species found in the vaginal tract and adaptation of empirical therapies, especially in pregnant women.