Peptoniphilus indolicus infection in a pregnant woman: a case report

Background Peptoniphilus indolicus belongs is a gram-positive anaerobic coccus (GPAC), which can cause bacterial vaginitis. However, only a few studies have reported severe infection of P. indolicus. This study presented the first case of severe infection of P. indolicus during pregnancy. It aimed to help to fill the gap in the literature, find out the factors that accelerate infection and discuss the significance of the GPAC test. Case presentation A 35-year-old woman was admitted due to unbearable abdominal pain with dilation of the cervical opening at 22+ weeks of gestation. A blood test revealed electrolyte disturbance and hypoproteinemia. A day before admission, the patient developed pain in the lower abdomen accompanied by yellow-green vaginal discharge. Two hours after admission, the patient suddenly presented with hyperpyrexia and chills. Timely and adequate antibiotic and cooling treatments were administered. After 14 h, the patient again developed chills that lasted for approximately 20 min, accompanied by uterine contractions and membrane rupture. After 3 h, she had a miscarriage and rapidly developed septic shock. She was transferred to the intensive care unit for further infection control, shock correction, and circulatory stabilization. The cultures of blood, secretion specimen, and amniotic fluid indicated P. indolicus infection using a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, an advanced tool for bacterial species identification. Conclusions P. indolicus is an opportunistic pathogen in pregnant women. Poor physical conditions and pregnancy may accelerate disease progression and lead to severe inflammation.