Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T21:22:52.206Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Nosocomial Infection Caused by Xanthomonas maltophilia A Case-Control Study of Predisposing Factors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 January 2022

Linda S. Elting*
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Specialties, Section of Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Nancy Khardori
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Specialties, Section of Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Gerald P. Bodey
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Specialties, Section of Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Victor Fainstein
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Specialties, Section of Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
*
Infectious Diseases (Box 471, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030

Abstract

Factors predisposing to clinically significant nosocomial infection with Xanthomonas maltophilia were examined in a matched case-control study using multivariate techniques. Sixteen cases occurred among cancer patients in a six-month period, including an apparent cluster of three cases in an intensive care unit. These infections were unusually serious; eight patients had disseminated infection caused by X maltophilia and six died as a result of their infections.

Among the 64 factors that were examined, therapy with broad-spectrum antibiotics and central venous catheterization were found to significantly increase susceptibility to infection. Therapy with imipenem was more than ten times more frequent among cases than among controls (p < .001). All fatal infections occurred in patients who had received imipenem, including two patients who died before the organism could be identified and appropriate therapy instituted.

Infection with X maltophilia should be suspected in patients who develop superinfection while receiving imipenem, and prompt therapy should be instituted to improve chances of survival. Because a common environmental source of X maltophilia was not identified, further study is necessary to determine specific preventive measures.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Trumbore, D, Pontzer, R, Levinson, ME, et al. Multicenter study of the clinical efficacy of imipenem/cilastatin for treatment of serious infections. Rev Infect Dis. 1985;7(suppl 3):S476S481.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Diaz, M, Harding, GK, Lovie, TJ, et al. Prospective randomized comparison of imipenem/cilastatin and cefotaxime for treatment of lung, soft tissue and renal infections. Rev Infect Dis. 1985;7(suppl 3):S452S457.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Garau, J, Martin, R, Bouza, , et al. Imipenem in the treatment of severe bacterial infections in seriously ill patients. J Antimicrob Chemother. 1986;18(suppl E):131140.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4. Bodey, GP, Elting, LS, Jones, P. et al. Imipenem/cilastatin therapy of infections in cancer patients. Cancer. 1987;60:255262.3.0.CO;2-L>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Le, CT, Lindgren, BL. Computational implementation of the conditional logistic regression model in the analysis of epidemiologic matched studies. Comput Biomed Res. 1988;21:4852.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Fisher, MC, Long, SS, Roberts, EM, et al. Pseudomonas maltophilia bacteremia in children undergoing open heart surgery. JAMA. 1981;246:15711574.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Schoch, PE, Cunha, BA. Pseudomonas maltophilia . Infect Control. 1987;8:169172.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Morrison, AJ, Hoffmann, KK. Wenzel, RP. Associated mortality and clinical characteristics of nosocomial Ps maltophilia in a university hospital. J Clin. Microbiol. 1986;24:5255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Nagai, T. Association of Ps maltophilia with malignant lesions. J Clin Microbiol. 1984;20:10031005.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10. Gilardi, GL. Infrequently encountered Pseudomonas species causing infection in humans. Ann Intern Med. 1972;77:211215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11. Zuravleff, JJ, Yu, VL. Infections caused by Pseudomonas maltophilia with emphasis on bacteremia: case reports and a review of the literature. Rev Infect Dis. 1982;4:12361246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12. Muder, RR, Yu, VL, Dummer, JS, et al. Infections caused by Pseudomonas maltophilia. Expanding clinical spectrum. Arch Intern Med. 1987;147:16721674.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13. Durbec, O, Albanese, J, Brunel, M, et al. Fulminating Pseudomonas maltophilia septicemia during treatment with imipenem and amikacin. Presse Med. 1989;18:221228.Google ScholarPubMed
14. Felegie, TP, Yu, VL, Rumans, LM, et al. Susceptibility of Pseudomonas maltophilia to antimicrobial agents, singly and in combination. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1979;16:833837.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Park, SU, Parker, RH. Review of imipenem. Infect Control. 1986;7:333337.Google ScholarPubMed
16. Jones, RN. Review of the in vitro spectrum of activity of imipenem. Am J Med. 1985;78(6A):2232.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed