A Case of Paenibacillus-induced Sepsis Complicated with Pneumatocele in a Very Low Birth Weight Infant

ABSTRACT

Paenibacillus spp. are gram-positive, rod-shaped, facultative anaerobic bacteria found in nature and rarely cause diseases in humans. We report our experience with Paenibacillus-induced sepsis complicated with pneumatocele in a very low birth weight male infant with a gestational age of 29 weeks and 5 days and a birth weight of 1,380 g, who was born by cesarean section with because of preterm labor and premature rupture of membrane. On day 12 after admission, the patient presented oxygen desaturation without apnea and fever. We identified pleural effusion on chest radiography and diagnosed pneumatocele on low-dose chest computed tomography. An empirical antibiotic was administered to treat the infection. The patient's blood culture revealed gram-positive rods, and Paenibacillus spp. was identified using16s rRNA sequencing.