RESUMO
Arthrobacter spp., which are coryneform gram-positive bacilli, are widely distributed in the environment, including soil. In humans, infection with Arthrobacter is recognized as an opportunistic infection. In particular, since the first reported case in 1996, human infection by A. woluwensis has been reported only four times. We report on a case of A. woluwensis bacteremia in a 76-year-old female patient with multiple myeloma. Performance of 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses resulted in identification of A. woluwensis. The patient was treated with teicoplanin, and the central venous port was removed. Since then, no growth has been observed on repeated blood cultures. The patient was discharged well after the fever subsided.
Assuntos
Idoso , Feminino , Humanos , Arthrobacter , Bacteriemia , Febre , Genes de RNAr , Mieloma Múltiplo , Infecções Oportunistas , Análise de Sequência , Solo , TeicoplaninaRESUMO
Arthrobacter spp. are coryneform bacteria known as a soil flora and also part of normal flora of human. Since coryneform bacteria are often reported to be a cause of life-threatening diseases, and especially the human infections of Arthrobacter spp. are reported recently, it is important to identify them to the genus and species levels by additional studies including molecular tests. We report a case of bacteremia caused by Arthrobacter woluwensis, which was misidentified initially as Leifsonia aquatica by commercial kits and conventional tests, but correctly identified by 16S rRNA sequencing.
Assuntos
Humanos , Arthrobacter , Bacteriemia , Bactérias , SoloRESUMO
Arthrobacter woluwensis, a catalase-positive coryneform bacterium recognized as an opportunistic pathogen, was repeatedly isolated from the blood of a 56-year-old male patient with metastatic colon cancer. The isolate was identified by various phenotypic tests and by sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by E-test; the MICs to vancomcyin, cefotamine, and penicillin were 1.5 microgram/mL, >64 microgram/mL, and 4 microgram/mL, respectively. The patient was treated with vancomycin, and the subclavian catheter, which was presumed to be the source of the infection, was removed. Thereafter, repeated blood cultures did not grow the organism. The infections of human caused by A. woluwensis have not been reported previously in Korea, probably because of the difficulty of identifying Arthrobacter strains by conventional biochemical tests.