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Section 3. Summaries of Infectious Diseases

Bacillus cereus Infections

Clinical Manifestations
Etiology
Epidemiology
Diagnostic Tests
Treatment
Isolation of the Hospitalized Patient
Control Measures

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CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS

Two clinical syndromes are associated with Bacillus cereus foodborne illness. The first is the emetic syndrome, which, like staphylococcal foodborne illness, develops after a short incubation period and is characterized by nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and in approximately 30% of patients, diarrhea. The second is the diarrhea syndrome, which, like Clostridium perfringens foodborne illness, has a slightly longer incubation period and is characterized predominantly by moderate to severe abdominal cramps and watery diarrhea, with vomiting in approximately 25% of patients. Both syndromes are mild, usually are not associated with fever, and abate within 24 hours.

B cereus also can cause local skin and wound infections, periodontitis, ocular infections, and invasive disease, including bacteremia, central intravascular catheter-associated infection, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, pneumonia, brain abscess, and meningitis. Ocular involvement includes panophthalmitis, endophthalmitis, and keratitis.


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ETIOLOGY

B cereus is an aerobic and facultatively anaerobic, spore-forming, . . . [Go to Full Text]