ABSTRACT Background Leptotrichia trevisanii is an oral commensal bacterium, capable of causing invasive infection. Although typically associated with hematologic malignancies, bacteremia may occur in solid tumor cases with mucosal barrier disruption. Case Presentation A 76‐year‐old woman undergoing chemotherapy for maxillary gingival squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma developed fever on hospitalization Day 2. Examination revealed an ulcerated gingival tumor with bone exposure, without neutropenia. Blood cultures yielded L. trevisanii . Intravenous ampicillin–sulbactam (16 days) resolved the infection. Conclusion L. trevisanii can cause bacteremia in gingival carcinoma cases with mucosal injury and a history of antineoplastic therapy, even in the absence of marked neutropenia, and should therefore be considered a potential pathogen in febrile patients.
Kitaya et al. (Fri,) studied this question.