[Clinical and microbiological characteristics of Rhizobium radiobacter infectious: six cases report and literature review].
OBJECTIVE
to explore the clinical and microbiological characteristics of Rhizobium radiobacter infection, and therefore to provide information for the prevention and treatment of the disease.


METHODS
the clinical and microbiological data were analyzed for patients proved to have Rhizobium radiobacter infection by blood culture obtained from May 2008 to July 2009 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University. Related literature were reviewed.


RESULTS
there were 4 males and 2 females aging 5 - 88 years old. All the patients suffered from fever and chillsor malaise, and had increased peripheral WBC or neutrophil count. The majority (5/6) of the infections was pneumonia, characterized by mild cough and expectoration, lung rales, patchy infiltrates on chest X-ray. All the patients had underlying diseases or were immunocompromised. Five of the 6 patients had close soil exposure. Four of the 6 patients received broad-spectrum antibiotics or immunosuppressive therapy. Antibacterial susceptibility testing showed that, all the isolates of Rhizobium radiobacter were susceptible to the third generation cephalosporins, cephamycins, Carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, tetracycline, nitrofurantoin and some of the aminoglycosides, but resistant to penicillins, penicillins/enzyme inhibitors, first and fourth generation cephalosporins, and helices beta-lactamase antibiotics. There were no complications, and all patients recovered uneventfully after treatment with antibiotics according to the susceptibility testing.


CONCLUSIONS
rhizobium radiobacter infections often occur in patients with underlying risk factors. The clinical manifestations of Rhizobium radiobacter infection are nonspecific. The organism is sensitive to most antibiotics, and the clinical outcome is favorable.
Zhang
Hua-Ping
HP
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou 362000, China.
Fan
Ji-Min
JM
Huang
Dong-Hong
DH
Zeng
Yi-Ming
YM
D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016960:Agrobacterium tumefaciens / Q000187:drug effects; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents