Pediatric bacteremia caused by Chromobacterium haemolyticum/Chromobacterium aquaticum

Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 2016 Sep;86(1):108-11. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2016.05.021. Epub 2016 Jun 3.

Abstract

We present a case of pediatric bacteremia caused by Chromobacterium haemolyticum, a β-hemolytic, non-pigmented, Gram-negative bacilli recovered from a blood culture and initially identified as Chromobacterium violaceum using phenotypic and proteomic methods. 16S rRNA sequencing of the patient isolated demonstrated a high degree of sequence homology with the type strain of C. haemolyticum. The patient recovered following treatment with meropenem, gentamicin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. This case highlights the potential misidentification of C. haemolyticum as non-pigmented C. violaceum due to limitations of the currently available identification methodologies.

Keywords: Bacteremia; Chromobacterium aquaticum; Chromobacterium haemolyticum; Sequencing.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Bacteremia / diagnosis*
  • Bacteremia / drug therapy
  • Bacteremia / microbiology*
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Blood / microbiology
  • Child
  • Chromobacterium / classification
  • Chromobacterium / genetics
  • Chromobacterium / isolation & purification*
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal / chemistry
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / diagnosis*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pigments, Biological / analysis
  • Proteomics
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA, Ribosomal
  • Pigments, Biological
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S