A case of unexpected pasteurella multocida bacteremia.

A case of Pasteurella multocida bacteremia in a previously healthy hospital employee is presented. The patient had sustained a scratch from his dog four days prior to being seen in the emergency department with adequate healing and no evidence of localized infection. He presented with an acute febrile illness, and was discharged from the emergency department with a diagnosis of viral syndrome. He was asked to return to the hospital the next day when a bacteriology report of gram negative rods in both aerobic and anaerobic blood culture bottles was received in the emergency department. Pasteurella multocida bacteremia/septicemia is seen most frequently in immunocompromised patients but the diagnosis should be considered in any patient with a febrile illness and exposure to cats or dogs.