Septic shock due toPseudomonas aeruginosa in a previously healthy woman

Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia rarely occurs in non-immunocompromised adults. We present a case of septic shock followingPseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia in a previously healthy 48-year-old woman. The onset was sudden, with back pain, pyrexia and shock. Chest radiographs revealed pneumonia, andPseudomonas aeruginosa was identified from blood and sputum cultures. Therapy with dopamine, piperacillin and fluid replacement led to a prompt recovery. Laboratory tests failed to reveal any immunological deficits. Including this case, only five cases ofPseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia in patients though to be non-immunocompromised have been reported. Two remarkable features of this type ofPseudomonas infection are apparent: i) it commonly develops from pneumonia and ii) it has a better prognosis than that in immunocompromised hosts.