Fatal multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii sepsis in a patient with travel history and recent onset of systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report

Abstract Severe infections are a common cause of death in patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We here report on a fatal multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii sepsis in a patient with newly diagnosed SLE, who had to be treated with immunosuppressants due to lupus nephritis. Detailed analysis of the patient's history revealed that colonisation probably had occurred during a recent hospitalisation of the patient in the Mediterranean region. E-test analysis indicated that resistance to carbapenems was mediated by a plasmid-encoded metallo-s-lactamase. We conclude that travel history including previously visited health care facilities always should be carefully considered for decisions on anti-infective therapy, as travel activities increasingly facilitate spread of antimicrobial resistances.