Eight cases of lower respiratory tract infection caused by Stomatococcus mucilaginosus

Abstract

Stomatococcus mucilaginosus was isolated from 8 patients suffering from lower respiratory tract infections over a 4-y period (1999-2003). The infections ranged from mild cases of pneumonia to a life-threatening case of recurrent lung abscesses in a neutropenic patient. The various strains were cultured from specimens obtained by bronchoscopy, blood, and sputum specimens. All strains were fully susceptible to rifampicin, vancomycin and gentamicin. They showed variable susceptibility to penicillin and ciprofloxacin. S. mucilaginosus is likely to be under-reported as a pathogen due to difficulties in obtaining samples for culture as well as misidentification due to its biochemical characteristics.

Induction of Cyclooxygenase-2 Signaling by Stomatococcus mucilaginosus Highlights the Pathogenic Potential of an Oral Commensal

“…The growth of S. mucilaginosus was reported by the microbiologist when cultures from BAL showed 4 + growth. To our surprise, this bacteria has been reported as a lower respiratory pathogen in only two previous studies (16,17). We hypothesized that the presence of this bacterium in the lower airways may create an inflammatory milieu seen in patients with bronchiectasis.…”

“…It has been implicated in the causation of endocarditis (13,14), sepsis, and catheter-related bacteremia (8,15). Similar to P. aeruginosa, S. mucilaginosus is known to form biofilms; however, there is scant information about the role of S. mucilaginosus in lower respiratory infections (16,17). We pursued studies to identify the pathogenic potential of this bacterium in vitro in primary cultured macrophages and in vivo in a mouse model of S. mucilaginosus lung infection.…”

Sputum Smear Concentration May Misidentify Acid-Fast Bacilli As Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in HIV-Infected Patients

“…These organisms are globally distributed and have been isolated from clinical specimen in prior studies from Nigeria and elsewhere. [39][40][41][42][43] It is possible that these non-Mtb species are opportunistic infections, leading to pulmonary infection with signs or symptoms similar to Mtb or they may simply represent colonizers that exist in parallel with a pulmonary infection. The presence of most of these organisms has been demonstrated in HIV-infected individuals before 19,20,23 ; however, the resources for species or genotypic distinction are often lacking in RLS, making the likelihood of misidentification as Mtb through AFB more likely.…”

Rothia Bacteremia: a 10-Year Experience at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

“…However, the case description suggests that the patient may have died due to catastrophic gut wall breach with resultant polymicrobial bloodstream infection rather than from the pathogenicity of Rothia bloodstream infection itself. The mortality rates attributable to Rothia infections have varied in the literature according to age, immune status, and site of infection (14)(15)(16). Immunocompromised patients are more likely to develop severe complications, including death, from Rothia infections.…”