Stomatococcus mucilaginosus: an emerging pathogen in neutropenic patients

Clin Infect Dis. 1992 Mar;14(3):641-6. doi: 10.1093/clinids/14.3.641.

Abstract

Stomatococcus mucilaginosus was isolated from eight neutropenic patients during nine febrile episodes over a 13-month period. Five of these isolates were from definite infections, including one case of fatal meningitis. This slime-producing, catalase-variable, gram-positive coccus is a component of the normal oral flora of humans. Its biochemical profile may result in misidentification; however, unlike most micrococci, it characteristically fails to grow on media containing 5% NaCl. All but one of our isolates were sensitive to benzylpenicillin, and all were sensitive to vancomycin. S. mucilaginosus may prove to be an important pathogen in severely immunocompromised patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / etiology
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Micrococcaceae / drug effects
  • Micrococcaceae / isolation & purification*
  • Micrococcaceae / physiology
  • Neutropenia / complications*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents