Aztreonam treatment of Pasteurella multocida cellulitis and bacteremia

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of Pasteurella multocida cellulitis and bacteremia treated successfully with aztreonam. CASE SUMMARY: An 81-year-old white man with multiple antibiotic allergies was admitted with severe cellulitis of the left arm and bacteremia due to P. multocida. The patient was treated for 14 days with aztreonam and had complete resolution of the infection. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first published case describing successful treatment of P. multocida cellulitis and bacteremia with aztreonam. Antimicrobials recommended for use in P. multocida infections include penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, second- and third-generation cephalosporins, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. There is very little information in the current literature regarding the activity of aztreonam toward P. multocida. CONCLUSIONS: This case demonstrates the potential use of aztreonam for P. multocida cellulitis and bacteremia in those instances where antibiotics of choice cannot be given.