A case of fulminant sepsis caused by Capnocytophaga canimorsus after a dog bite

Many species of microorganisms of various human pathogenicity have been identified in the oral cavities of dogs and cats. One of them is Capnocytophaga canimorsus, a Gram-negative bacterium of the Flavobacteriacae family, with unique abilities to forage sugars from host tissues and avoid the host immune response. Although C. canimorsus may be isolated from the oral cavities of most dogs and cats, severe human infection is very rare according to studies (0.67 cases/million/year). A canine or feline bite is the most common source of infection. At the highest risk are asplenic or functionally asplenic patients as well as individuals with cirrhosis or a history of alcohol abuse. We report a fatal case of C. canimorsus sepsis in a patient with a spleen.