Chronic Granulomatous Disease of Childhood and Chromobacterium violaceum Infections in the Southeastern United States

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Abstract
Patients with chronic granulomatous disease are predisposed to infections by catalase-positive organisms in the environment. C. violaceum is a catalase-positive bacterium whose saprophytic source in this country is the subtropical soil and water of the southeastern USA. Two patients with chronic granulomatous disease apparently acquired C. violaceum infections in Florida. All 10 cases previously reported were acquired in Florida and Louisiana; reports for which dates were available showed that all infections were acquired from June-Sept. Seven of 10 patients died; 1 patient was studied and found to have chronic granulomatous disease. Thus, at least 3 of the 12 known patients have had underlying chronic granulomatous disease. C. violaceum infections, evidently occur with unusual frequency in patients with a common underlying predisposing disorder. C. violaceum, therefore, poses a potential threat to patients with chronic granulomatous disease living in or visiting the endemic states.