Pasteurella multocida Bacteremia and Septic Arthritis Without an Animal Bite in an Older Patient Successfully Managed Without Joint Drainage: A Case Report

Pasteurella multocida is a Gram-negative coccobacillus commonly associated with animal bites or scratches. Invasive infections without a clear history of animal injury are uncommon, particularly in patients without overt immunosuppressive conditions. We report a case of P. multocida bacteremia and septic arthritis in an 82-year-old woman with domestic cat exposure but no history of a bite or scratch. The patient presented with fever and bilateral calf pain and was initially treated for sepsis of unknown origin. Blood and synovial fluid cultures subsequently identified P. multocida. She was successfully treated with antimicrobial therapy alone without joint drainage, and repeat synovial fluid cultures were negative. This case highlights that P. multocida should be considered as a potential pathogen in older patients with systemic infection and animal exposure, even in the absence of a bite injury, and that conservative management may be an option in carefully selected cases under close monitoring.