Catheter-related bloodstream infection caused by Tsukamurella ocularis: A case report

J Infect Chemother. 2022 Mar;28(3):434-436. doi: 10.1016/j.jiac.2021.11.003. Epub 2021 Nov 18.

Abstract

Tsukamurella spp. causes mainly bacteremia and central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections. To the best of our knowledge, there is no documented evidence that Tsukamurella ocularis causes catheter-related bloodstream infections like other species of Tsukamurella. We present a novel case of T. ocularis bacteremia in a 69-year-old woman with malignant cancer, wherein the patient was successfully treated with a peripherally inserted central venous catheter. We administered combination antimicrobial therapy to the patient, which was terminated only after confirming the absence of infection. We identified T. ocularis by sequencing three housekeeping genes that could not be identified using conventional mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene analysis.

Keywords: Bacteremia; Catheter-related infections; Peritoneal neoplasms.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Actinobacteria
  • Aged
  • Bacteremia* / drug therapy
  • Catheter-Related Infections* / drug therapy
  • Catheterization, Central Venous* / adverse effects
  • Catheters
  • Female
  • Humans
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics

Substances

  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Supplementary concepts

  • Tsukamurella ocularis