Blood Stream Infection Caused by Achromobacter Xylosoxidans: Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract

Achromobacter xylosoxidans also known as Alcaligenes xylosoxidans is a Gram-negative bacillus found in water and soil. It is an uncommon cause of infection in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. This report describes a 47-year-old female diagnosed with common variable immunodeficiency with Achromobacter xylosoxidans positive blood cultures and acquired resistance to piperacillin/tazobactam during treatment. This bacterium can cause pathologies with high mortality, due to its ability to create biofilms and its particular pattern of susceptibility to antibiotics. Choosing the right antibiotic is critical because they are highly resistant to antibiotics. Due to the presence of few antibiotics with bactericidal activity, the risk of empirical treatment failure is high and therefore a correct understanding of this rare but fatal disease is important to obtain the best chance of success. For this reason we finally carried out a literature review.