Desulfovibrio desulfuricans bacteraemia: a rare and intriguing clinical challenge

Yii Ling Liow^1*, Syida Aziera Mohd Yusoff¹, Habib Abdul Hakim Esa²

1. Unit of Microbiology, Department of Pathology, Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru, 80100 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
2. Unit of Bacteriology, Infectious Disease Research Center, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.

*Corresponding author: Yii Ling Liow. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Tel: +607-2257200 (1662)

CITATION: Liow YL, Mohd Yusoff SA, Esa HAH. Desulfovibrio desulfuricans bacteraemia: a rare and intriguing clinical challenge. International Medical Research Journal. 2025 May 30;11(1):42–8. https://doi.org/10.63719/imrj.2025.11.01.004

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ABSTRACT
This case report presents a rare and intriguing instance of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans bacteraemia in a 51-year-old Malaysian gentleman with a history of corrosive esophagitis and multiple complex abdominal surgeries. The patient developed intra-abdominal sepsis due to an ileocolic anastomotic leak, which was further complicated by a bloodstream infection. Despite initial challenges in microbial identification, D. desulfuricans, an anaerobic sulphate-reducing bacterium, was ultimately isolated from blood cultures and identified via 16S rRNA sequencing after conventional diagnostic methods failed. This case underscores the significant diagnostic hurdles, therapeutic complexities, and clinical implications associated with rare anaerobic bacteraemia in critically ill patients. By shedding light on the challenges of identifying and managing such infections, this report highlights the crucial role of advanced molecular diagnostics and multi-disciplinary intervention in achieving successful patient outcomes.

KEYWORDS: Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, bacteraemia, 16S rRNA sequencing, intra-abdominal sepsis