Catheter-related bacteremia due to Kocuria rosea in a patient undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation

We report on the first case of a catheter-related bacteremia caused by Kocuria rosea, a gram-positive microorganism belonging to the family Micrococcaceae, in a 39-year-old man undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation due to relapsed Hodgkin disease. This uncommon pathogen may cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients.This report presents a case of Kocuria rosea catheter related bacteremia after stem cell transplantation successfully treated with vancomycin and by catheter removal.Long-term indwelling central venous access devices are indispensable to the supportive care of cancer patients. Infection remains a major complication of Hickman type catheters [1]. Intravascular catheter-related infections can be the cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, aerobic gram-negative bacilli and Candida albicans are the most frequent causes of catheter related bloodstream infection [2]. Kocuria rosea, is gram-positive, strictly aerobic microorganisms belonging to the family Micrococcaceae that usually grow on simple media and generally considered as non-pathogenic commensals that colonize the oropharynx, skin and mucosa. However, it can be opportunistic pathogen in the immunocompromised patient [3,4].We describe the first case of central venous catheter (CVC) related infection associated with Kocuria rosea in a patient undergoing autologous PBSCT. He had a chills, high fever, tachycardia and increased respiratory rate. Persistent bacteremia, which was unresponsive to vancomycin, was successfully treated by catheter removal.A 39-year-old man with relapsed Hodgkin disease was admitted to Erciyes University Hospital for autologous PBSCT. A Hickman-type central venous catheter was implanted and the patient received a conditioning regimen consisting ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide. On day 3 after PBSCT, he was a