title: Nosocomial Pseudomonas putida Bacteremia: High Rates of Carbapenem Resistance and Mortality.
abstract: Previously, Pseudomonas putida was considered a low-virulence pathogen and was recognized as a rare cause of bacteremia. Recently, however, multidrug-resistant and carbapenem-resistant P. putida isolates have emerged, causing difficult-to-treat nosocomial infections in seriously ill patients. Currently, the outcome of multidrug-resistant or carbapenem-resistant P. putida bacteremia remains uncertain. Here, we report 18 cases of P. putida bacteremia with high rates of carbapenem resistance and mortality. From January 2005 through December 2011, all cases of nosocomial P. putida bacteremia were identified and analyzed at Chonnam National University Hospital and Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital. Electronic medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Four (22%) and five (23%) of 18 P. putida isolates were resistant to imipenem and meropenem, respectively. Common primary infection sites were central venous catheter (7, 39%), pneumonia (5, 28%), and cholangitis (2, 11%). Fourteen (78%) patients had indwelling devices related to the primary site of infection. The 30-day mortality rate was 39% (7/18): 40% (2/5) in patients with carbapenem-resistant P. putida bacteremia vs. 38% (5/13) in patients with carbapenem-susceptible P. putida bacteremia. Nosocomial P. putida bacteremia showed high resistance rates to most potent β-lactams and carbapenems and was associated with high mortality rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seong-Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hyun Bum
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyung-Hwa
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Su-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sook-In
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Jong-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Hee-Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Seung Ji
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kang