Elizabethkingia meningoseptica (Chryseobacterium meningosepticum) bacteremia: series of 12 cases at Prince Sultan Military Medical City KSA

Abstract The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological data, clinical features and outcome of patients with Elizabethkingia meningoseptica bacteraemia and to report the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern. METHODS All patients with E. meningoseptica bacteraemia were retrospectively recruited at Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from June 2013 to May 2019. Epidemiological data, clinical features and outcome of patients, and antimicrobial susceptibilities of E. meningoseptica, were collected from patient electronic medical records. RESULTS Twelve patients (eight male and four female patients) with E. meningoseptica bacteraemia were included in the study. Eleven patients acquired the infection from the hospital, five of which were in the intensive care unit. All patients had one or more underlying medical condition or intervention including chronic illness (eight cases), major surgery (three cases), pulmonary fibrosis (one case), sickle cell anaemia (one case) and one patient with end stage renal disease on haemodialysis. Eleven patients had prolonged stay in the hospital (≥3 months), and nine patients had received prolonged antibiotics. Three patients had polymicrobial bacteraemia including Serratia marcescens (2 cases) and Enterococcus faecalis (1 case). All E. meningoseptica isolates were susceptible to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, piperacillin/tazobactam and moxifloxacin. β-lactam antibiotics, aminoglycosides and carbapenems showed a high resistance rate. CONCLUSION These findings have important implications for the clinician when selecting optimal antimicrobial regimens for patients with risk factors for E. meningoseptica infection.