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Review
. 2024 Oct 10:62:101502.
doi: 10.1016/j.nmni.2024.101502. eCollection 2024 Dec.

Sphingobacterium multivorum cellulitis: case report and mini-review

Matteo Coen  1   2 , Aurélie Foulex  3 , Ilias Bagetakos  4   5 , Abdessalam Cherkaoui  6 , Jacques Serratrice  1 , Jacques Schrenzel  6   7 , Anne Iten  1   8
Affiliations
Review

Sphingobacterium multivorum cellulitis: case report and mini-review

Matteo Coen et al. New Microbes New Infect. .

Abstract

Background: Sphingobacterium multivorum is a gram-negative, non-fermentative, oxidase-positive, catalase-positive bacillus. S multivorum has been identified in urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections, spontaneous peritonitis, septic arthritis, meningitis, bacteraemia and septic shock. Ours is the second case of skin and soft tissue infection sustained by S. multivorum (a case of necrotizing fasciitis with septic shock has been previously reported). In this paper, we furnish a review of the literature on all the cases of S multivorum described in the medical literature (with the different antimicrobial susceptibility profiles for each case).

Case presentation: We describe the case of a dermo-hypodermitis of the right arm, forearm, and postero-lateral abdominal wall sustained by S multivorum. The infection occurred in an 84-year-old woman with a medical history of type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and refractory psoriatic arthritis treated with tocilizumab.

Discussion: S multivorum is a ubiquitous gram-negative bacillus, characterized by a variable antibiotic susceptibility profile that is difficult to anticipate.

Conclusion: S multivorum is an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing rare but potentially severe infections in patients of all age groups, with a higher prevalence in immunocompromised individuals, as observed in our case.".

Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Gardening; Immunocompromised patients; Non-fermenting gram-negative bacteria; Soil.

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Conflict of interest statement

The Authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A. Erythematous lesion of the inner side of the upper arm. B. MRI images showing diffuse dermo-hypodermitis of the right arm and forearm associated to superficial fasciitis of the biceps and triceps brachialis as well as of extensor and flexor carpi ulnaris.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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