Atypical presentation of methicillin-susceptible staphylococcus aureus infection in a dengue-positive patient: A case report with virulence genes analysis
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1-2020
Abstract
Concurrent bacteraemia in patients with dengue fever is rarely reported. We report a case of a patient who initially presented with symptoms typical of dengue fever but later succumbed to septic shock caused by hypervirulent methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). A 50-year-old female patient with hypertension and diabetes mellitus presented with typical symptoms of dengue fever. Upon investigation, the patient reported having prolonged fever for four days prior to hospitalization. Within 24 hours post-admission, the patient developed pneumonia and refractory shock, and ultimately succumbed to multiple-organs failure. Microbiological examination of the blood culture retrieved a pan susceptible MSSA strain. Genomic sequence analyses of the MSSA strain identified genes encoding staphylococcal superantigens (enterotoxin staphylococcal enterotoxin C 3 (SEC3) and enterotoxin-like staphylococcal enterotoxins-like toxin L (SElL)) that have been associated with toxic shock syndrome in human hosts. Genes encoding important toxins (Panton-Valentine leukocidins, alpha-haemolysin, protein A) involved in the development of staphylococcal pneumonia were also present in the MSSA genome. Staphylococcus aureus co-infections in dengue are uncommon but could be exceptionally fatal if caused by a toxin-producing strain. Clinicians should be aware of the risks and signs of sepsis in dengue fever, thus allowing early diagnosis and starting of antibiotic treatment in time to lower the mortality and morbidity rates.
Keywords
Bacteremia, Dengue, Infectious disease, MSSA, Staphylococcus aureus
Divisions
fac_med
Funders
University of Malaya Research Fund Assistance (BKP) [BK075-2016]
Publication Title
Pathogens
Volume
9
Issue
3
Publisher
MDPI
Publisher Location
ST ALBAN-ANLAGE 66, CH-4052 BASEL, SWITZERLAND