Journal of Medical Case Reports (Apr 2017)

Chryseobacterium gleum in a man with prostatectomy in Senegal: a case report and review of the literature

  • O. Arouna,
  • F. Deluca,
  • M. Camara,
  • B. Fall,
  • B. Fall,
  • A. Ba Diallo,
  • J. D. Docquier,
  • S. Mboup

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-017-1269-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 5

Abstract

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Abstract Background Here we report a rare case of a urinary tract infection due to Chryseobacterium gleum. This widely distributed Gram-negative bacillus is an uncommon human pathogen and is typically associated with health care settings. Case presentation We describe a case of urinary tract infection caused by Chryseobacterium gleum in a 68-year-old man of Wolof ethnicity (an ethnic group in Senegal, West Africa) who presented to our Department of Urology in a university teaching hospital (Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec) in Dakar, Senegal, 1 month after prostatectomy. The strain isolated from a urine sample was identified as Chryseobacterium gleum by mass spectrometry (Vitek matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization, time-of-flight, bioMérieux) and confirmed by 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid sequencing. The organism was resistant to a wide range of antibiotics, including carbapenem, due to a resident metallo-β-lactamase gene that shared 99% of amino-acid identity with Chryseobacterium gleum class B enzym. Conclusions Infection by Chryseobacterium gleum is infrequent, and no such case has been previously reported in Africa. Despite its low virulence, Chryseobacterium gleum should be considered a potential opportunistic and emerging pathogen. Further studies on the epidemiology, pathogenicity, and resistance mechanisms of Chryseobacterium gleum are needed for better diagnosis and management.

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