Abstract
Brachyspira pilosicoli (B. pilosicoli) is the etiologic agent of human and animal intestinal spirochetosis ; however, it is rarely implicated as a cause of sepsis. A 61-year-old female patient presented to Saga Medical School Hospital with symptoms of fever and lower abdominal pain. We diagnosed the patient as having sepsis based on her symptoms of high fever and tachycardia. The patient had rheumatoid arthritis and was receiving steroid therapy. Abdominal CT scan showed thickened intestinal wall. Colonoscopy revealed multiple erythematous lesions in the ascending and transverse colon. Histopathological examination of biopsy specimens identified intestinal colonization by bacteria. Blood cultures were positive after 10 days of incubation. The isolate was identified as B. pilosicoli by nucleotide sequencing analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The patient was treated successfully with antibiotics, and her clinical symptoms improved. This case suggests that B. pilosicoli colitis can cause sepsis in immunocompromised patients.
