Infectious Disease Compendium

Shewanella

Microbiology

A gram-negative rod. Includes Shewanella haliotis, S. algae, S. putrefaciens, and many others.

Epidemiologic Risks

Found in warm saltwater. First found in butter in the 1930s. It is part of the fish skin microbiome. Or scales. It causes fish to spoil and not so good for humans. Also found in sewage.

Shewanella haliotis (not halitosis, nothing to do with bad breath), is from the gut microflora of abalones.

Syndromes

Mostly soft tissue infections (PubMed) including a case of Fournier’s gangrene in a patient with no seawater exposure. This occurs in immunocompromised patients with a preexisting cutaneous ulcer after or seawater exposure.

Navy Seals in San Diego during El Nino years (Pubmed).

There is also a case of marine trauma leading to bacteremia and meningitis (PubMed).

A case of S. haliotis appendicitis in the US NE (Pubmed).

Treatment

Ciprofloxacin, piperacillin-tazobactam, ceftriaxone, or meropenem, although limited clinical experience (PubMed).

Notes

It is one of the infections increasing with global warming.

It is an extremophile, found at low temperatures and high pressures.

Curious Cases

Relevant links to my Medscape blog

Phone calls can be the coolest cases.

Last Update: 12/31/19.