What Causes Vaginal Discharge And Abdominal Pain After Uterine Polyp Removal And How Serious Is Citrobacter Koseri?

Posted on Wed, 22 Jan 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 Answered on

Sat, 8 Feb 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I had a uterine polyp removed last December, but one month later I developed vaginal discharge, low grade fever and abdominal pain (did not have sex after the surgery). Lab results indicated the presence of Citrobacter Koseri. How did I contract it, and how serious is this? How should I be treated?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Soumen Patra (49 minutes later)

Brief Answer: DETAILS ARE GIVEN BELOW. Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for writing to us. Citrobacter koseri is gram negative bacillus and acts as opportunistic pathogen in a variety of human infections. It may be transmitted via raw food stuffs and vegetables, improper hand washing or feco-oral route. It has been suggested that C. koseri has a unique ability to penetrate, survive, and replicate into vascular endothelial cells and macrophages. Therefore, it can cause sepsis, brain abscess or infection, seizures, ventriculitis, cerebritis etc if it is left untreated. CT scan or MRI investigation will be worthwhile in this case. TREATMENT: Broad spectrum antibiotic like Cephalosporin and Meropenem are often used because of the good penetration into the CNS. If the response to the antibiotic is poor, the surgical aspiration of the collected pus reduces the mass effect and enhances the efficacy of the antibiotics (in severe case). Kindly, consult with your doctor for complete prescription and proper guidance. Hope, I have answered your query. Kindly, close the discussion if you don't have any other query. Wish your good health and take care yourself. Regards, Dr Soumen For future query, you can directly approach me through WWW.WWWW.WW

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Soumen Patra (22 minutes later)

When I was in the hospital, I did not eat anything as it was a day surgery. The bacteria were found not in my digestive track, but at the cervix. Did I contract the bacteria in the surgical room? How long should the course of antibiotics be? Should I consult an infectious disease specialist after the treatment to make sure the bacteria did not penetrate to other systems?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Soumen Patra (6 hours later)

Brief Answer: DETAILS ARE GIVEN BELOW. Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for follow up query. 1) Yes, it may be be contracted from surgical room. However, above said routes of transmission are quite common and it can occur following surgery or in house. This bacteria can stay in cervix besides digestive tract. 2) Initial antibiotic treatment would be 7 to 10 days and it depends on severity of the disease and spreading to other tissue or system. Clinical assessment is must. 3) Yes, it is better to consult with infectious disease specialist for complete treatment with proper prescription and follow-up. Hope, above information is quite helpful to you. Kindly, close the discussion. All the best and good luck. Regards, Dr Soumen

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar