Pasteurella multocida:: A case report of bacteremic pneumonia and 10-year laboratory review

Pasteurella multocida is a normal oral commensal in animals. Animal bites are often complicated by severe wound infection due to P. multocida, but systemic infection is rare. We report a patient with bacteremic pneumonia successfully treated with ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin, We also review the clinical isolates of P. multocida reported by a major teaching hospital laboratory over a 10-year period. There were 23 patients, comprising the present case, 17 patients with wound infections following animal bites, one case of neonatal meningitis and associated maternal vaginal carriage of P. multocida, and three sputum isolates of doubtful significance.