Edwardsiella ictaluri, an unusual cause of bacteraemia in a Nigerian child with acute bloody diarrhoea

Enteric septicaemia of catfish was first detected in 1976 as an economically significant disease associated with commercial catfish production. Initially, Edwardsiella ictaluri was a host specific pathogen of catfish species but has also been reported from other hosts other than the catfish such as the zebrafish. E. ictaluri has not been isolated in humans hence it is not a zoonotic infection. There has been no previous report of isolation of this organism in humans. This was a case report of a 5 year old boy who presented with fever, vomiting, passage of bloody stool of 6 days and abdominal pain of a day duration. In the case of this 5 year old boy who presented with features of dysentery, blood culture using BACTEC™ grew E. ictaluri. E. ictaluri may be a pathogen which can infect humans just like another closely related species, Edwardsiella tarda. Although, E. ictaluri has not been reported in humans, could this be the first case? Non availability of diagnostic technique appropriate for its diagnosis may explain the rare incidence of the organism in humans, hence many cases would have been treated without isolating the organism

Zinc phosphide (rodenticide) poisoning: A case report of deliberate self-harm in an eleven-year-old

Zinc Phosphide(Zn3P2) is a common rodenticide freely available in Nigeria for use against rodents. Occasionally human consumption occurs either accidentally or intentionally with potential consequences of multiorgan toxicity and death. An 11-year-old boy consumed an unknown quantity of zinc phosphide marketed as Push Out® with the intention of committing suicide and killing some members of the family as his response to chastisement for a misdemeanour. Patient presented in the hospital 4 days after ingestion of zinc phosphide with a history of profound vomiting and abdominal pain. Laboratory evaluation showed evidence of hepatic dysfunction, acute kidney injury and elevated serum amylase. He was managed conservatively and discharged home after two weeks of admission. We report this case to emphasise the need for Paediatricians to consider ingestion of rodenticides as a differential diagnosis of hepatoxicity and pancreatic enzyme elevation, as well as to highlight the possibility of suicide among children. There is need to control the indiscriminate use of rodenticides, strengthen public health education on poisoning as well as establish Poison Information Centres in our environment