Septic shock due to Helicobacter fennelliae in a non-human immunodeficiency virus-infected heterosexual patient

Helicobacter fennelliae (formerly Campylobacter fennelliae) has been reported to cause bacteremia in homosexual men with or without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We report here a 48-year-old, non-HIV-infected, heterosexual man with diabetes mellitus and cirrhosis of the liver who developed bacteremia and septic shock due to H. fennelliae. The patient was treated successfully initially with intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam and ceftazidime, followed by ampicillin-sulbactam only. These agents were active in vitro against the isolate by E-test results. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of septic shack due to H. fennelliae in a non-HIV-infected, heterosexual, immunocompromised patient.