Pseudomonas bacteremia as an initial presentation of SLE

Infections have been commonly implicated in lupus relapses and in some cases as initiating the diagnostic work up of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We describe here the case of a young patient who presented with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia and was found to have a new diagnosis of SLE. 53% of patients with active SLE and abdominal pain have intestinal vasculitis. These vasculitic changes can cause intestinal ischemia with consequent translocation of pathogens from the gastrointestinal tract to the bloodstream causing sepsis.