Concurrent dengue infection and Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia with classical ecthyma gangrenosum in an infant

Dengue fever (DF) is an important public health problem in developing countries like India, with a high morbidity and mortality. The clinical spectrum of dengue is highly variable, ranging from a mild flu-like syndrome to severe disease, with shock and hemorrhage. Concurrent septicemia in patients with dengue fever is rare and only few cases have been reported. In previous reports Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacteriaceae have been the predominant pathogens; to our knowledge septicemia with Pseudomonas aeruginosa has not been previously reported. Here, we report an 8 month old child with P. aeruginosa septicemia with classical ecthyma gangrenosum in conjunction with DF who was successfully treated by early commencement of anti-pseudomonal antibiotics.