Comparisons of clinical features and outcomes between Elizabethkingia meningoseptica and other glucose non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli bacteremia in adult ICU patients

Abstract Background Clinical information of Elizabethkingia meningoseptica (EM) bacteremia in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is limited and the impact on outcomes uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features and impact of EM bacteremia compared to other glucose non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli (GNF-GNB) bacteremia in ICU patients. Methods This retrospective cohort study enrolled 70 patients who developed GNF-GNB bacteremia after ICU admission, including 19 cases of EM bacteremia (19/70, 27.1%). The main outcome measure was in-hospital mortality. Results The patients with EM bacteremia had a lower rate of appropriate antibiotic therapy (15.8% vs. 62.7%, p  Conclusion Among the patients with GNF-GNB bacteremia, the numbers of the cases with primary bacteremia and inappropriate therapy were significantly more in EM group than those in non-EM group.