FULMINANT SEPTICEMIC SYNDROME OF BACILLUS-CEREUS IN A LEUKEMIC PATIENT

We report a rapidly fatal Bacillus cereus septicemia in a leukemic pat ient receiving remission-induction therapy. Symptoms resembling food p oisoning and fever preceded coma accompanied by neurologic abnormaliti es, Autopsy revealed necrotizing leptomeningitis with subarachnoid hem orrhage and coagulation necrosis of the liver with bacterial infiltrat ion. These clinicopathologic findings were closely similar to those of reported cases, Because of a rapidly fatal clinical course, suspicion of this syndrome early in the course is important to determine an app ropriate treatment, Therefore, we propose that this type of septicemia should be termed as fulminant septicemic syndrome of Bacillus cereus.