A very rare and rapidly fatal case of Chromobacterium violaceum septicemia.

Chromobacterium violaceum infection is rare but causes a high mortality rate particularly in immunosuppressed persons. Since its clinical presentation is non-specific and the diagnosis basically relies upon blood culture and sensitivity, this infection should be considered among the organisms targeted empirically for antibiotic therapy when a cellulitis or rapidly progressive illness follows exposure to water or soil. This is a case of fulminant septicemia caused by this rarely encountered organism.