Capnocytophaga canimorsus septicemia caused by a dog bite in a hairy cell leukemia patient.

Fatal septicemia developed in a splenectomized patient with hairy cell leukemia following a dog bite. Capnocytophaga canimorsus, a slowly growing gram-negative bacillus, was isolated from the patient's blood. Although a rare complication of dog bites in the normal population, this bacterium should be suspected and promptly treated in immunologically compromised dog bite victims. Furthermore, immunocompromised patients should be made aware of the dangers of dog ownership.