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Pasteurella multocida is usually transmitted by animal contact; however, in a significant proportion of cases, no animal exposure can be identified. Although vertical transmission has been identified in neonates, horizontal human-to-human spread has not been documented. A case of neonatal sepsis and meningitis resulting from horizontal transmission of P. multocida is described.

A 68-y-old male had necrotizing fasciitis and bacteremia due to Pasteurella multocida. Saliva culture from his dog grew P. multocida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The human and dog P. multocida strains were of the same antibiogram but not identical tested with ribotyping. The wound licked by his dog was the only risk factor.

Neonatal septicemia acquired by vertical transmission of Pasteurella multocida is very rare. The authors report a case of Pasteurella multocida septicemia in a 2-day-old male infant. His mother had a history of prolonged premature rupture of membranes and subsequently developed fever. The patient had fever and lethargy at 36 hours of age, then developed severe pneumonia, sepsis, persistent pulmonary hypertension, renal failure and liver failure. Although the appropriate antibiotics were given, he continued to deteriorate and eventually died.

Pasteurella species cause zoonotic infections in humans. Human pasteurella infections usually manifest as local skin or soft tissue infection following an animal bite or scratch. Systemic infections are less common and are limited to patients at the extremes of age or those who have serious underlying disorders, including cirrhosis. Most human pasteurella infections are caused by the multocida species. We report a case of Pasteurella dagmatis peritonitis and septicaemia in a patient with cirrhosis. The infection followed a scratch inflicted by a pet dog. Despite appropriate antibiotic treatment the infection proved fatal. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis caused by P dagmatis has not been reported previously. Pasteurella dagmatis is a relatively recently described species, which is rarely reported as a human pathogen. This species may be misidentified unless commercial identification systems are supplemented by additional biochemical tests.

Pasteurella multocida most commonly infects patients with animal contacts. Life-threatening systemic disease is distinctly uncommon in otherwise healthy persons and usually occurs in patients with chronic predisposing disease. Two cases of sepsis occurred in a cancer hospital, and we surmise that specific predisposing factors existed in our patients as in prior reported cases of sepsis in patients without cancer. These factors include animal contact, open wounds, and, most important, advanced hepatic disease.

A case of Pasteurella multocida septicemia and peritonitis in a patient with cirrhosis is reported and the literature reviewed. Patients with cirrhosis and exposure to domestic animals are at risk for this infection. Initial empiric therapy of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in such patients should include a penicillin to which this organism is usually susceptible.

A 76-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who developed P multocida pneumonia and bacteremia has been described. The infection was treated with antibiotics, and the patient recovered. Pasteurella multocida is known to infect many species of animals. The instances of human infection due to this organism are frequently associated with exposure to animals. Pulmonary infection occurs principally in patients with underlying chronic bronchopulmonary disease.