title: A rubber-degrading organism growing from a human body.
abstract: Patients with hematological malignancies are susceptible to unusual infections, because of the use of broad-spectrum anti-infective agents, invasive procedures, and other immunocompromising procedures and medications. Gordonia polyisoprenivorans, a ubiquitous environmental aerobic actinomycete belonging to the family of Gordoniaceae in the order Actinomycetales, is a very rare cause of bacteremia in these patients. We report the first case of pneumonia with associated bacteremia due to this organism, which was initially described in 1999 as a rubber-degrading bacterium following isolation from stagnant water inside a deteriorated automobile tire. We believe that hematologically immunocompromised patients on broad-spectrum antibiotics and with long-term central catheters select the possibility of infection with G. polyisoprenivorans. These infections can be prevented by handling catheters under aseptic conditions. We propose that blood cultures of persistently febrile neutropenic patients should be incubated for at least 4 weeks. Being a rare infection, there are no data available on treatment other than early removal of the foreign bodies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine - Saint Peter's University Hospital, 254 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. mohit_gupta13@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mohit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Deepali
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: Harshit S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Khara
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alcid
mesh_terms: D000193:Actinomycetales Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects; D003470:Culture Media; D005260:Female; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D033601:Gordonia Bacterium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000150:complications*; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012408:Rubber / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012408:Rubber