Pantoea agglomerans chronic exposure induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human lung epithelial cells and mice lungs

Unexpected Culprit: A Case Report of Pleuropulmonary Pantoea septica Infection in a Ketamine User

Pantoea septica, a gram-negative bacillus typically associated with opportunistic bloodstream infections in neonatal intensive care units, rarely causes pulmonary infections in immunocompetent individuals. We present a case of a 30-year-old male with multifocal cavitary pneumonia, bilateral parapneumonic effusions, and positive blood cultures for Pantoea septica, occurring in the setting of prior ketamine abuse. The patient presented with fever, productive cough, chest pain, and worsening dyspnea, without significant medical history or immunocompromising conditions. Diagnostic evaluation revealed elevated inflammatory markers, characteristic radiographic findings, and successful treatment with intravenous antibiotics and pleural drainage. This case highlights the diagnostic challenge posed by Pantoea septica in pulmonary infections and suggests a potential link between ketamine abuse and susceptibility to uncommon pathogens, warranting further investigation into its immunomodulatory effects.

Pantoea abscess mimicking sarcoma in a HTLV-1-infected Indigenous Australian man: Case report and literature review

Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Pantoea are emerging bacterial causes of diverse sporadic and outbreak-linked infections. Chronic Pantoea abscesses are unusual and may give rise to a differential diagnosis of malignancy. Foreign body retention and host immune defects may be risk factors for such chronic infections.

Iron overload and mitochondrial dysfunction orchestrate pulmonary fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic, progressive heterogeneous disease of lung tissues with poor lung function caused by scar tissue. Due to our limited understanding of its mechanism, there is currently no treatment strategy that can prevent the development of PF. In recent years, iron accumulation and mitochondrial damage have been reported to participate in PF, and drugs that reduce iron content and improve mitochondrial function have shown significant efficacy in animal experimental models. Excessive iron leads to mitochondrial impairment, which may be the key cause that results in the dysfunction of various kinds of pulmonary cells and further promotes PF. As an emerging research hotspot, there are few targeted effective therapeutic strategies at present due to limited mechanistic understanding. In this review, the roles of iron homeostasis imbalance and mitochondrial damage in PF are summarized and discussed, highlighting a promising direction for finding truly effective therapeutics for PF.

Pantoea agglomerans: An Elusive Contributor to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbation

The ubiquitously present gram-negative bacteria Pantoea agglomerans is not a commonly known human pathogen. Recently, increasing recognition of the species as a human pathogen has led to controversy as limited documented cases of P.agglomerans bacteremia and infections have been reported in the literature, with most cases reported among immunocompromised patients or the pediatric population. Here, we present the case of a 54-year-old female with P. agglomerans and Enterococcus faecium bacteremia along with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.