Polymicrobial bacteremia due to Polle syndrome: the child abuse variant of Munchausen by proxy

Infectious disease due to multiple organisms results from underlying disease or invasive procedures and is uncommon in the pediatric age group. We report a case of polymicrobial bacteremia in an infant in whom no underlying disease was substantiated despite extensive evaluation. The presence of Polle syndrome--an adult-induced illness--was subsequently proved. This diagnosis should be considered early in the evaluation of children for whom repeated blood culturing indicates polymicrobial bacteremia.