Bacillus cereus pneumonia after severe thoracic trauma, case report and review of the literature

We report on the case of a pneumonia caused by Bacillus cereus in a patient who sustained severe thoracic trauma, fractures of ribs 3-12, left lung contusion and haematopneumothorax. Bronchoscopic alveolar ravage (BAL) performed on ICU day four helped identifying the underlying cause of pneumonia, Inspite of early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment with clindamycin, cefotaxim and tobramycin, which rapidly eliminated the bacteria from the patient's lungs, the patient eventually died from the severe underlying injuries, However, this case emphasises that early performed BAL and rapid microbiological staining techniques can help diagnose pneumonia in critically ill patients, We also review the literature on pulmonary infections caused by Bacillus cereus.